Korean Media: "Made in China" Sweeps Half of South Korea’s Import Car Market

On October 15, the Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo published an article reporting that, according to survey data, Tesla and BYD accounted for half of the top ten best-selling imported vehicles in South Korea during August. Following its dominance in the pure electric vehicle segment, BYD has extended its market presence into the plug-in hybrid sector. The company’s first plug-in hybrid model launched in South Korea, the Seal 6 DM-i, ranked ninth in monthly sales just one month after its debut. Meanwhile, Tesla has maintained monthly sales above 10,000 units for six consecutive months—driven primarily by its Model 3 and Model Y models produced in China.

According to the August import passenger vehicle registration statistics released by the Korea Automobile Importers Association, total new car registrations in August reached 29,817 units, marking a 9.2% year-on-year increase. However, registrations for all brands other than Tesla and BYD totaled only 16,415 units, a decline of 13.4% compared to the same period last year. In reality, Tesla and BYD were the primary drivers behind the overall market growth.

In terms of brand performance, Tesla led with 10,400 units sold, continuing its streak of exceeding 10,000 units per month since March. BMW followed with 6,180 units, ranking second; Mercedes-Benz came in third with 4,037 units; and BYD secured fourth place with 3,002 units. Tesla recorded the highest cumulative registrations from January to August, totaling 76,776 units—a 122.3% increase compared to the same period last year.

By model, the Tesla Model Y dominated with 9,638 units registered, outperforming BMW’s total sales (6,180 units) by 3,458 units. The BMW 5 Series ranked second with 1,902 units, followed by the Mercedes-Benz E-Class with 1,404 units.

BYD’s rapid ascent stands out prominently. Three of its models featured among the top ten best-sellers. The compact pure electric hatchback Dolphin achieved 1,202 units in sales, ranking fourth. The all-electric SUV Seal 7 recorded 819 units, placing fifth. The Seal 6 DM-i, BYD’s first plug-in hybrid model introduced in South Korea in July, registered 500 units, ranking ninth. This marked the first time BYD had three models simultaneously enter the monthly top ten list for imported vehicles.

The Seal 6 DM-i quickly became the top-selling imported plug-in hybrid vehicle in South Korea, surpassing both the BMW X5 50e (121 units) and the Toyota RAV4 PHEV (96 units).

Of the top ten best-selling imported vehicles in August, five were manufactured in China—three BYD models, along with Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y. Tesla produces its main high-value models, including the Model 3 and Model Y, at its Shanghai Gigafactory.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1879100965209152/

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