In brief
South Korea’s imported passenger‑car registrations climbed 29.3% year‑on‑year to 31,117 in October, led by a surge in battery‑electric and hybrid vehicles. U.S. automaker Tesla topped the foreign‑maker sales with 9,165 units, followed by German brands Mercedes‑Benz and BMW. Battery‑powered EVs accounted for 46.4% of sales, close to hybrids at 45.9%.
In October, South Korea’s imported car sales jumped 29.3% over a year to 31,117 passenger‑car registrations, Xinhua reported on Wednesday, citing data from the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association.
The association said that for the first ten months of 2026, 310,846 imported vehicles were sold, a 24.6% increase compared to the same span in 2025.
"Explosive demand for electric vehicles and German luxury models"
In a report describing the month, Xinhua highlighted that the surge in imports was largely driven by the “explosive demand for electric vehicles and German luxury models.”
Tesla led all foreign‑maker sales, moving 9,165 units into Korean markets. German automaker Mercedes‑Benz sold 6,744 units, while BMW moved 5,633 units, according to the same report.
Other notable foreign sales included 1,682 units from Volvo and 1,594 units from Chinese automaker BYD, Xinhua noted.
European models made up 17,573 of the 31,117 imports, representing 56.5% of the total, the report said.
Market share by country of origin saw U.S. brands occupying 30.0% of sales, Japanese brands 8.0%, and Chinese brands 5.5%, according to the association’s figures.
Fuel‑type breakdown in October’s imports revealed that battery‑powered EVs accounted for 46.4% of sales, hybrids represented 45.9%, gasoline vehicles 6.8%, and diesel models 0.9%.
The nearly even split between battery‑electric and hybrid vehicles indicates that consumers remain split between fully electric options and mild‑hybrid models as they consider reliability, range, and price.
With battery‑electric vehicles holding the highest share, Xinhua underscored that South Korea’s import mix reflects a broader shift toward electrification in the domestic market, a trend that aligns with global environmental commitments.
Overall, the data shows that electric vehicles not only captured a majority share by volume but also outpaced traditional gasoline and diesel models, cementing the country’s position as one of the most dynamic import markets for EVs in Asia.
