Mumbai: Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) has achieved the milestone of half a million exports.

The company's cumulative exports crossed 500,000 units with the loading of its latest product the i10 this morning at the Chennai port, aboard a car carrier.

Winner of the prestigious 'Top Exporter of the Year 2005-06'  award from the Engineering Export Promotional Council (EEPC)  in the category of large enterprises of India, HMIL is also the consecutive winner of the CNBC 'Exporter of the Year' for the last two years. The company has attained this benchmark of exporting half a million cars in record time,  less than 9 years.

HMIL's car exports had a humble beginning, with a twenty car shipment to Nepal in 1999. The company today ranks as the largest passenger car exporter, with 90 countries on the overseas buyer's list and exports projected to grow to well over 2 lakh units per annum from this year.

HMIL India-made cars are now on the roads of Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East, besides the  neighbouring countries in the Indian sub continent region.
 
HMIL reached the first milestone of exporting 100,000 cars in four years and ten months in October 2004. In October 2005 it exported its 200,000th car, soon followed by its 300,000th car and 400,000th car in October 2006 and August 2007 respectively.

Exporting the 500,000th car has made HMIL the fastest Indian passenger car manufacturer to achieve this stupendous milestone.

Commenting on the company's export performance, H S Lheem, Managing Director, HMIL said, "No matter where you drive in the world be it the Autobahn of Germany or the Motorway of UK you are bound to come across cars made by Hyundai Motor India and this is indeed a sight which should make everyone connected with Indian operations and India very proud. And I am really happy that we are on the right track and growing as far as exports of Hyundai cars are concerned. And we have achieved this thanks mainly to the quality and reliability of our cars. Today Hyundai cars symbolise global trends and aspirations of our buyers and stand among the very best."

Given swelling domestic and overseas demand of its products, HMIL has doubled its production capacity from 300,000 units to 600,000 units per annum with the commissioning of the new plant in Chennai in February this year. The target production for 2008 is 5.3 lakh units and the export target for this year itself is 2.12 lakh units.

Currently, Hyundai Motor India is exporting four of its most popular models namely  -  the i10, Santro, Getz and Accent models to around 90 countries and this list is expected to grow further in the coming years.