Electrified models account for about 18 percent of total sales, meaning more than one in six BMWs sold domestically this year was electrified. The company has installed 3,334 EV chargers nationwide and plans to expand that to 4,000 by year-end.

BMW Korea has become the first premium import brand this year to surpass 10,000 electrified vehicle sales. [Provided by BMW Korea]
BMW Korea has become the first premium import brand this year to surpass 10,000 electrified vehicle sales. [Provided by BMW Korea]

BMW Korea has become the first premium import brand in the country to sell more than 10,000 electrified vehicles in a single year.

The company said Wednesday it sold a combined 10,335 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) from January through September — an average of more than 1,100 units per month.

Of those, 6,681 were BEVs and 3,654 were PHEVs, with pure electric models accounting for about 65 percent of total electrified sales. Compared with the same period last year, BEV sales rose about 56 percent, while overall electrified vehicle sales were up about 20 percent.

Electrified models made up roughly 18 percent of BMW Korea's total sales of 57,929 vehicles over the same period, meaning more than one in six BMWs sold domestically this year was an electrified model.

A broad lineup spanning both BEVs and PHEVs drove the sales momentum. By offering electrified options across vehicle segments — from compact sports activity vehicles to flagship sedans — the company said customers can choose models suited to their driving needs and lifestyle.

By model, the BMW i5 led BEV sales with 2,382 units. Among PHEVs, the BMW 530e, BMW 530e xDrive and BMW X5 xDrive50e each sold more than 1,200 units.

BMW Group Korea has also continued to invest in EV charging infrastructure to support customers in their daily use of electrified models. Since launching its mid-to-long-term charging expansion project "Charging Next" in 2023, the company has installed 3,334 chargers nationwide and plans to increase that number to 4,000 by year-end.

The company is also working to raise the bar on the charging experience. A highlight is the country's first public 400-kilowatt ultra-fast charger, installed in June. Four units have been set up — at the BMW Charging Hub Lounge near Seoul Station and at the BMW Driving Center on Yeongjongdo in Incheon — and are open to all EV drivers.

BMW Group Korea also employs 480 high-voltage technicians specializing in electrified vehicle maintenance, with plans to grow that number to 530 by year-end and 650 by 2028. All 83 of its official service centers nationwide support electrified vehicle maintenance, and 42 of those are equipped to handle advanced work including high-voltage battery servicing and collision repair.

The company is also collaborating with government agencies to promote EV safety. BMW Group Korea is participating — as the only foreign automaker in the country to do so — in a pilot program run jointly with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Korea Transportation Safety Authority and the National Fire Agency to detect battery anomalies and report potential fires in electric vehicles, helping secure critical response time and minimize fire damage.

BMW Group Korea also consistently supports education for firefighters who respond to EV incidents. It conducted EV fire safety training for Incheon-area firefighters in November last year and for Seoul-area firefighters and fire investigators in May this year. This month, the company provided a new BMW iX3 as a hands-on training vehicle for an "EV Safety Rescue Seminar for Firefighters" organized by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, helping build EV safety and emergency response capabilities.

"We will continue to expand our electrified lineup, charging infrastructure and service capabilities in a balanced way, so that more customers can choose electrified models with confidence," a BMW Korea official said.

Meanwhile, BMW Korea has been broadening its customer touchpoints through various marketing initiatives, including the recent online sale of 40 units of an "October Online Limited Edition" — based on the electric i5 sedan and electric iX SAV — through its BMW Shop Online platform.


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