Amazon begins selling new cars online, starting with Hyundai.

Amazon, the e-commerce giant, is scheduled to start selling new cars on its platform in the United States next year, starting with models manufactured by South Korea’s Hyundai, according to what the company announced in a statement on Thursday.

This announcement was made at the Los Angeles Auto Show in cooperation with the automobile manufacturer Hyundai, which will be the first brand to sell its vehicles on the site.

Amazon explained that customers will be able to choose their favorite models and features online.

They can then collect the car from the local dealer or order it via home delivery service. Financing options will also be available on Amazon.

“Hyundai is a highly innovative company and shares Amazon’s passion for trying to make our customers’ lives better and easier every day,” Amazon President Andy Jassy said in a statement.

Until now, car buyers could browse deals on Amazon, without being able to make the final purchase on the site.

The partnership with Hyundai includes the virtual assistant “Alexa” from Amazon, which will be present in car models starting in 2025.

Although Amazon’s plan includes cooperation between agents, direct sales to customers have grown in recent years in the United States, led by Tesla and other electric car manufacturers that have dispensed with traditional intermediaries for dealers.

Automakers like Ford are trying to capitalize on the commercialization of electric vehicles to reduce their reliance on dealers, which ultimately makes the vehicles more expensive.

(AFP)