Sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in South Korea surged by 67% year-on-year to 25,148 units in July, according to local reports citing data compiled by Carisyou Data Research. The company said the local BEV market is rebounding from a prolonged downturn, driven by new models.
BEV sales in South Korea amounted to 118,717 units in the first seven months of the year, compared with 146,883 units in the whole of 2024. Average monthly sales surged to 16,960 units – up from 12,240 units in 2024, and surpassing the previous peak of 13,707 in 2022.
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The recovery in the BEV market has been attributed to a wave of new model launches this year, including the Hyundai Ioniq 9 which was in February, and the Kia EV4 sedan launched in March. Slightly older models such as the Kia EV3, launched in July 2024, and the Kia Ray, have also performed strongly this year.
Foreign brands have also performed well, including the updated Tesla Model Y – which is currently the best-selling BEV model in the country.
