Model Y: South Korea Goes Electric (+50%)

The South Korean automotive market has just reached a historic milestone in 2025. With 220,177 electric vehicles registered, South Korea recorded spectacular growth of +50.1% in one year. At the heart of this electric revolution, one vehicle largely dominates: the Tesla Model Y.

For the first time, electric vehicles exceed 13% of the total South Korean automotive market, marking a decisive shift towards electric mobility. I’ll break down this electric revolution on the other side of the world for you.

South Korea Crosses the 10% Electrification Threshold

With 220,177 electric vehicles registered in 2025, South Korea achieves an exceptional performance that demonstrates the acceleration of its energy transition. This 50.1% growth propels electric market penetration to 13.1%, crossing the symbolic double-digit threshold for the first time.

This progress is part of a constant dynamic since 2022, where the electric vehicle market share has continued to climb year after year. Several factors explain this success:

• A rapidly expanding charging infrastructure network
• Attractive government incentives for EV purchases
• Growing ecological awareness among the population
• A strong cultural appetite for cutting-edge technologies

By comparison, Europe shows more modest annual growth, which places South Korea among the most dynamic markets in the world. The country thus confirms its status as a mature market in terms of electric mobility.

The Model Y, Undisputed Driving Force of the Korean Electric Market

Spectacular Sales Figures

The Tesla Model Y achieves an absolutely remarkable commercial performance in the South Korean market. With 50,397 units sold in 2025, Tesla’s electric SUV records phenomenal growth of +169.2% compared to 2024.

These figures translate into overwhelming dominance: the Model Y claims 26.6% of the market share in the pure passenger electric vehicle segment. It thus becomes the best-selling electric vehicle across all categories in South Korea.

The Impact of the 2025 Facelift

The arrival of the restyled version “Juniper” has significantly boosted Model Y sales. This new iteration brings significant technical and aesthetic improvements that massively appeal to Korean consumers.

My analysis? The Model Y perfectly matches the expectations of the South Korean market: a compact SUV format ideal for dense cities, cutting-edge technology that enhances its owner’s status, a comfortable driving range, and accessible premium positioning. To discover all the details of the Model Y’s exterior and interior design, the vehicle perfectly embodies Korean technological aspiration.

A 100% Korean-American Podium Dominating 80% of the Market

The South Korean electric market is characterized by exceptional market concentration. Three manufacturers share the bulk of sales, creating a true three-way commercial battle.

The 2025 Podium Reveals Tight Competition:

1. Kia: 60,609 units sold
2. Tesla: 59,893 units
3. Hyundai: 55,461 units

These three brands alone represent 80% of the South Korean EV market. Only 5,000 units separate Kia from Tesla, illustrating the intensity of the competition between local production and American imports.

The strategy differs fundamentally: while Kia and Hyundai rely on their domestic production and knowledge of the local market, Tesla compensates with technological appeal and brand prestige. My opinion? This intense competition directly benefits consumers who profit from constant innovations and competitive prices.

The Chinese Offensive Disrupts the Local Industrial Balance

Disruption Figures

A major phenomenon is reshaping the Korean automotive landscape: the rise of imports. In 2025, imported electric vehicles capture 42.8% of the market share, compared to 57.2% for local production.

Even more significant: 74,728 units manufactured in China were sold in South Korea, more than double compared to 2024. This progress indicates a disruption of the Korean industrial balance.

The trend is strong: Chinese production only accounted for 25% of the market in 2022; today it represents more than 42%. The relative decline in domestic production reveals a profound transformation of the South Korean automotive sector.

The Shanghai Gigafactory, World’s Factory

All Model Ys sold in South Korea come from the Gigafactory Shanghai. This ultramodern factory has become Tesla’s Asian hub, capable of high-volume production with optimal quality and controlled costs.

Tesla’s logistics strategy in Asia relies entirely on this Chinese infrastructure, which supplies the entire Asia-Pacific region. To understand what it really means to buy a Tesla made in China, one must analyze the production standards that equal, or even exceed, those of American or European factories.

Elon Musk Praises Korean Technological Foresight

Elon Musk was quick to react to these exceptional performances. On X (formerly Twitter), the Tesla CEO praised the Korean market for its technological foresight.

Musk particularly highlighted the rapid adoption of FSD (Full Self-Driving) in South Korea. Korean motorists are among the first in the world to embrace the advanced autonomous driving technologies offered by Tesla.

This cultural appetite for innovation positions South Korea as a preferred test market for future Tesla features. My take? Europe would benefit from drawing inspiration from this technological openness rather than multiplying regulatory obstacles that slow down innovation.

The performance of the South Korean market perfectly illustrates how an electric transition can accelerate when political will, adequate infrastructure, and consumer appetite for innovation converge. The Model Y emerges as the catalyst for this transformation, demonstrating that a technologically excellent product can disrupt a market in just a few years.

According to automotive industry data, this dynamic could intensify further with the arrival of new accessible models. In fact, the future compact Tesla at €25,000 that could revolutionize global accessibility is part of this logic of democratizing electric mobility that South Korea is already anticipating.

And what do you think of this Asian breakthrough? Is the Asian market paving the way that Europe should follow?