BMW Korea said on the 7th that it sold 2,913 electrified vehicles in Korea in the first quarter this year. That was the highest sales among German automakers operating in the country.
Of the electrified vehicles BMW Korea sold in the first quarter this year, 1,732 were battery electric vehicles and 1,181 were plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). In particular, battery electric sales rose 49.7% from a year earlier (1,157). The electric sedan i5 led battery electric sales. The i5 sold 828 units in the first quarter this year.
BMW Korea said the results reflected its aggressive expansion of EV charging infrastructure. Starting at the end of 2022, BMW Korea built open BMW Charging Stations at key locations nationwide. Having installed 3,030 chargers so far, BMW Korea plans to add 1,000 more within this year.
BMW Korea also introduced the industry's first BMW BEV Membership, an EV test-drive program, in May last year, with 4,624 people participating to date. The company added that safety has been strengthened through BMW Proactive Care, which monitors battery conditions in real time during charging to prevent safety incidents such as overheating and overcharging.
BMW Korea expects sales of electrified models to increase further this year. That is because the New BMW iX3 is scheduled to be delivered to Korean customers starting in the third quarter this year. The revamped iX3 surpassed 2,000 preorders just three days after reservations opened last month.