While Tesla struggles in its home markets of the U.S. and Europe, the EV giant is experiencing a dramatic sales surge in South Korea, where it has now become the top-selling imported car brand.
According to the July new car registration data from the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA), Tesla Korea sold 7,357 vehicles, up 15.4% from the previous month.
This performance allowed Tesla to surpass both BMW (6,490 units) and Mercedes-Benz (4,472 units) to take the top spot in the imported car market. This marks Tesla’s second time ranking No. 1 in three months—previously leading the market in May (6,570 units), and placing second in June (6,377 units). With an average of over 6,400 units sold per month over the past quarter, Tesla’s momentum in Korea continues to build rapidly.
For the period from January to July 2025, Tesla Korea’s cumulative sales reached 26,569 units, reflecting a 32.4% year-on-year increase. While this figure still trails Mercedes-Benz Korea’s 37,047 units, Tesla is rapidly closing the gap.
A significant portion of this surge is driven by the continued popularity of the China-made Model Y, which reportedly has a backlog of over 10,000 units awaiting delivery in Korea. Industry analysts project Tesla’s full-year sales in Korea may approach 50,000 units if this trend continues.
Meanwhile, Tesla's performance elsewhere is less rosy. In China, Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory shipped 67,886 units in July, a drop of 8.4% year-over-year, indicating weakening momentum in other key regions. J
uly Import Sales Rankings in Korea (Units Sold): Tesla – 7,357 BMW – 6,490 Mercedes-Benz – 4,472 Lexus – 1,369 Audi – 1,259 Volvo – 1,015 Porsche – 1,014 Mini – 724 Volkswagen – 601 Land Rover – 393 Ford – 296 BYD – 292 Polestar – 223 Jeep – 219 Honda – 143
Mercedes-Benz saw a 25.9% month-on-month drop, attributed to stricter sales policies aimed at protecting profit margins. Despite its global headwinds, Tesla’s performance in Korea stands out, suggesting that the brand has found a unique foothold in the competitive Korean import car market, and may continue to grow as demand for EVs increases.
댓글
댓글 쓰기