Tesla has ranked first in imported car sales for the second consecutive month, solidifying its position as one of the top three imported car brands alongside BMW and Mercedes-Benz. According to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA), the new registrations of imported passenger cars in August reached 27,304 units, marking a 22.6% increase compared to the same period last year (22,263 units) and a slight increase from the previous month (27,090 units).
KAIDA Vice Chairman Jeong Yoon-young noted that the new registrations in August maintained a similar level to the previous month due to a mix of increased supply and new car effects by brand, as well as a decrease influenced by the holiday season.
By brand, Tesla took the lead with 7,974 units sold, maintaining its first place position in imported car sales for two consecutive months since selling 7,357 units last month. BMW followed with 6,458 units, Mercedes-Benz with 4,332 units, and Volvo, Audi, Lexus, and Toyota followed with 1,313, 1,263, 1,249, and 883 units respectively.
The best-selling models were Tesla’s Model Y (4,805 units), Model Y Long Range (1,878 units), and Model 3 (1,290 units). Notably, nearly 90% of the imported cars registered were environmentally friendly vehicles, indicating a shift in market focus towards electrification. 49.2% of the cars were hybrids (13,442 units), and 39.8% were electric vehicles (10,855 units). In contrast, gasoline cars accounted for 10% (2,744 units), and diesel cars only 1% (263 units) of the sales.