Hyundai Motor has belatedly entered the fast-growing and potentially lucrative hybrid car market as South Korea’s biggest automaker looks to meet growing demand for fuel-efficient vehicles while also boosting its brand image.

The Elantra hybrid compact car, which uses liquefied petroleum gas and lithium ion polymer batteries, went on sale in Korea on Wednesday and Hyundai plans to launch a gasoline-based hybrid sedan next year for exports, followed by plug-in and fuel-cell vehicles in 2012.