Korean Media: BYD Dolphin Ranks Second Among Imported Cars in South Korea Just Four Months After Launch!
On August 1, Korean media outlet Herald Economic published an article stating that China's BYD Dolphin, a compact electric vehicle, has become the best-selling model under BYD Korea just four months after its launch in South Korea. In June, the Dolphin surpassed the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class to rank second in the imported car market, with sales even exceeding those of Hyundai Ioniq 5, South Korea’s flagship electric vehicle. The Dolphin is priced at around 24 million KRW, features a body size close to that of a small electric SUV, and has attracted numerous consumers seeking high-value electric vehicles.
Data released by the Korea Import Automobile Association shows that BYD Dolphin sold 2,828 units in June, ranking second among imported passenger vehicles in South Korea—just behind Tesla Model Y (9,188 units)—and ahead of BMW 5 Series (2,266 units) and Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2,114 units).
Compared to May, the increase in supply also contributed significantly to the surge in Dolphin sales in June. Registrations were 652 units in March, 800 units in April, but plummeted to only 150 units in May due to supply shortages. With backlogged orders and new deliveries concentrated in June, sales rebounded strongly.
Based on cumulative sales for the first half of the year, the Dolphin has already become BYD’s flagship model. From January to June, the Dolphin registered 4,511 units, slightly surpassing the BYD Song Plus (4,477 units). This means that within just four months of launching in South Korea, the Dolphin has overtaken the previous best-seller, the Song Plus, to claim the top spot in BYD’s passenger vehicle lineup.
Even when compared to domestically produced electric vehicles in South Korea, its market share is significant. In June, Kia EV3 sold 3,403 units and Kia EV5 sold 3,226 units in the domestic market—both exceeding Dolphin’s sales. On the other hand, Hyundai Ioniq 5 sold only 2,281 units, 547 fewer than the Dolphin.
The BYD Song Plus also performed well. It registered 1,117 units in June, ranking sixth among imported models. Its cumulative sales for the first half of the year reached 4,477 units, closely matching the Dolphin’s performance and solidifying its role as a key sales driver for BYD. While the Dolphin targets the urban, cost-effective electric vehicle segment, the Song Plus focuses on the mid-size electric SUV market.
Overall, BYD’s major models have performed strongly. In June, BYD ranked fourth among imported passenger vehicle brands—after Tesla, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz—with 4,652 registrations, representing a 350.8% month-on-month increase.
For the first half of the year, total sales reached 11,675 units—nearly double last year’s total of 6,097 units. Considering last year’s average monthly sales of 677 units, the average monthly registration volume for the first half of this year surged to 1,946 units, nearly tripling. Just the June registration volume alone accounted for 76% of last year’s entire annual total.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1872286565378180/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.