REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLOS ANGELES, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) and Kia (000270.KS) see strong U.S. demand for electric vehicles (EVs), senior executives at the South Korean automakers told Reuters ahead of the Los Angeles Auto Show. The comments run against industry fears that inflation and higher interest rates will undermine the boom in EV sales. Inflation and high interest rates have raised the costs of buying a car. The cuts helped drive EV sales in the third quarter up 50% from a year earlier to a record of more than 300,000 vehicles. Reporting by Abhirup Roy in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter Henderson and Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Persons: Andrew Kelly, Jose Munoz, Hyundai's, Munoz, Steven Center, we'll, Elon Musk, Spencer Imel, Langston, Subaru's, Atsushi Osaki, Abhirup Roy, Peter Henderson, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Hyundai Kona, New York, REUTERS, Hyundai, Kia, South Korean, Los Angeles Auto, Tesla, Ford Motor, EV, Kia America, Cox Automotive, General Motors, Ford, Langston Co, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, KS, Los Angeles, Savannah ( Georgia, United States, Swedish