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Tesla Model Y (Photo courtesy of Tesla) |
[Alpha Biz= Ellie Kim] Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla, expressed excitement after the company’s mid-size electric SUV, the Tesla Model Y, ranked No. 1 in overall vehicle sales in South Korea.
On June 9 (local time), Musk shared the news on his social media platform X, writing “Korea is awesome,” along with four South Korean flag emojis. His post has surpassed 21 million views.
According to the post Musk shared, the Model Y recorded total sales of 8,762 units in the South Korean auto market in May, topping all passenger vehicle sales across both domestic and imported brands. It outperformed traditional best-sellers such as the Kia Sorento (7,836 units) and the Hyundai Grandeur (5,183 units).
This marks the first time in South Korean automotive history that a single imported model has claimed the top spot in overall sales, surpassing popular domestic models from Hyundai Motor Company and Kia in their home market. The achievement is particularly notable as it goes beyond leading the electric vehicle segment to surpass all internal combustion engine vehicles.
Tesla sold a total of 10,866 vehicles in South Korea last month, exceeding the combined sales of leading imported brands such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
The post added that roughly one out of every three imported cars sold in South Korea this year was a Tesla, with the company maintaining the No. 1 position among imported car brands for four consecutive months—an unprecedented record. “Tesla has achieved something no other imported model has done before,” it said.
Industry analysts attribute Tesla’s strong performance to its competitive pricing strategy, driven by the introduction of China-made Model Y vehicles equipped with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, as well as aggressive marketing efforts that have resonated with Korean consumers.
Alphabiz Ellie Kim 인턴기자(press@alphabiz.co.kr)
