A charging station for electric vehicles (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
South Korea’s Electric Vehicle Fleet Surpasses 800,000 as Green Transition Accelerates
SEOUL, Oct. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s shift toward eco-friendly mobility is gathering pace, with the country’s electric vehicle (EV) registrations surpassing 820,000 as of August, government data showed Thursday.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, a total of 822,081 electric vehicles were registered nationwide by the end of August, up nearly 30 percent from 635,847 a year earlier. The milestone marks another step in the country’s rapid EV adoption, after surpassing 500,000 vehicles just a year ago. At the current rate, South Korea is expected to reach 1 million registered EVs in 2026.
Hybrid vehicles are also expanding quickly, with cumulative registrations climbing to 2.37 million, a 30 percent increase from last year. Together, EVs and hybrids now account for 12.1 percent of all vehicles on the road—up from just 0.9 percent in 2015 and 3.3 percent in 2020—meaning more than one in ten cars in South Korea now operates with some form of electrification.
An electric vehicle charging station installed in an underground parking garage (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
By contrast, the number of gasoline and diesel vehicles is stagnating or declining. Gasoline cars stood at 12.4 million as of August, up a mere 0.02 percent from a year earlier. Diesel vehicles fell 5 percent to 8.76 million, while LPG cars declined slightly to 1.85 million. Diesel cars, once dominant among commercial fleets, have been shrinking steadily since dipping below 9 million in February.
The trend underscores a decisive market shift ahead of tougher environmental regulations. At a public forum in late September, the government floated the possibility of restricting the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars from 2035 as part of its national plan to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets.
Industry observers warn, however, that strong policy support will be essential to ensure domestic automakers remain competitive against foreign brands, particularly the rising influx of low-cost Chinese EVs.
“With proper incentives and supply-chain support, the domestic industry can lead the transition without losing ground to imports,” said one automotive executive. “Korea’s green mobility revolution has clearly begun—but sustaining it will require both innovation and protection.”
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
