Hyundai Motor Co. has received an additional order for 2,000 Ioniq hybrid taxis from Singapore’s largest transport company ComfortDelgro Corp., a deal that would further expand the Korean auto giant’s footprint in the local taxi market.

Hyundai Motor said Monday it signed a deal with Comfort Delgro to deliver 1,500 Ioniq hybrids by the end of the year and the remaining 500 units by the first half of 2020. The two signed a 1,200 unit deal last year.

Founded in 1970, ComfortDelgro is Singapore’s largest land transport company. It operates 60 percent of Singapore’s taxi fleet with 12,000 vehicles and runs a taxi business in other countries including China, Vietnam and the U.K.

Hyundai Motor first struck a deal with ComfortDelgro in 2007, sourcing various models like the NF Sonata, i40 VF, and the i30 lines including the first-generation FD and second-generation GD. Last year, it expanded its lineup to include Ioniq hybrids. The Korean automaker has sold a total of 26,000 vehicles since its entry into Singapore’s taxi market 13 years ago, and has retained the top spot for the past nine years. About 56 percent of all taxis in Singapore, or 11,000 vehicles, are now Hyundai cars.

ComfortDelgro expressed its satisfaction with the Ioniq hybrid’s fuel efficiency and driving performance. Hyundai Motor has been going all out to gain leadership in Singapore’s clean vehicle market since the local government revealed a plan to make its green city even greener by distributing eco-friendly cars.

This is the latest in Hyundai Motor’s push for cleaner vehicles. Earlier this year, the company announced it has started providing the Kona Electric to Southeast Asia’s largest ride-hailing provider Grab, making it the first car-hailing service to use electric vehicles in the region.

Hyundai Motor said the increased exposure of its hybrid taxis in Singapore, Asia’s financial hub that attracts more than 15 million tourists worldwide a year, would also be a great marketing opportunity to show off its technological prowess.

By Lee Jong-hyuk and Kim Hyo-jin

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