The corporate logo of EcoPro is seen in this file photo. Courtesy of EcoPro

Doosan Fuel Cell and EcoPro BM are rapidly losing luster from investors, hit by falling demand for hydrogen cars and electric vehicles (EV) amid the rise of hybrid cars here and abroad, according to data and analysts, Wednesday.

The two once-promising stocks are extending losing streaks this year after the global EV industry entered a slowdown. Hydrogen fuel cell cars are also far from being adopted en masse due to weak charging infrastructure.

According to data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, sales of hydrogen cars came in at just 615 in the first quarter of this year. Their exports also reached only 19 vehicles during the same period.

The decline in sentiment for hydrogen-powered cars resulted in a steep stock fall for Doosan Fuel Cell, the nation's largest hydrogen fuel cell firm. Shares of the Doosan affiliate plummeted by more than 21 percent this year alone, as customers are paying less and less attention to eco-friendly hydrogen cars, according to data from the Korea Exchange.

Other battery and battery materials producers are also suffering falling stock valuations. EcoPro BM — the cathode materials producer for lithium-ion batteries used for EVs — was particularly, one of the main red-hot battery materials stocks last year when relevant shares surged on then-growing optimism toward the global EV industry.

A hydrogen vehicle is being charged at a station in this undated file photo. Yonhap

Shares of EcoPro BM reached up to 400,000 won per share in July last year, but the figure almost halved to less than 220,000 won as of Wednesday.

Market analysts said the murky outlook will remain in place for the first half of this year, as the slowing demand for EVs and hydrogen cars is unlikely to bounce back in the near future.

"The growth slowdown in the global EV industry is attributable to multiple factors such as relatively high EV prices, weak charging infrastructure, toughening competition and policy-related uncertainties," said Kwon Joon-soo, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities.

However, such pain points felt by a number of customers here and abroad will be gradually alleviated in the latter half, as carmakers are on track to increase investments to improve EV mileage and enhance nationwide charging infrastructure, according to the analyst.

Other big battery firms also faced similar fates amid the overall industrial slowdown. Shares of LG Energy Solution, the nation's most valuable battery firm, dropped by around 30 percent over the past seven months. The stock price of Samsung SDI, another top-tier battery maker here, is also showing a steep downward trajectory for the past month, due to the gloomy EV outlook here and abroad.