Premium competition is heating up in the import electric-vehicle market across Daegu-Gyeongbuk.
Space Daegu, the official showroom for Sweden’s Polestar that I recently visited, emphasizes brand experience over simple transactions. The space is laid out with a clean, vehicle-first design, and consultations and purchase agreements are handled digitally, giving it a noticeably different atmosphere from traditional import-car dealers.
Polestar’s flagship model, the Polestar 4, established a presence last year with more than 2,000 units sold in Korea. Space Daegu, Polestar’s second location in the Yeongnam region after Busan, drew more than 100 visiting parties during its opening weekend, with visitors spanning late 30s to 50s. A store representative said rising fuel costs have increased interest in EVs and that demand for high-performance, high-spec premium EVs is growing quickly.
The market data reflect that shift. According to the Korea Imported Automobile Association (KAIDA), imported EV sales in January reached 4,430 units—more than five times the 635 units logged in the same month last year. Vehicles priced above 50 million KRW (approximately $37,500) made up 1,864 units, more than 40% of the total, indicating the market is moving toward the premium segment.
Until now, the imported EV market was skewed toward mid- and lower-priced models, driven by value-focused Chinese brands such as BYD and price cuts from Hyundai and Kia. But this year competition in the premium tier has picked up pace.
The leader in the premium imported EV market remains Tesla. The company sold 59,916 units in Korea last year, more than double the 29,750 units sold the previous year, preserving its dominant No. 1 position.
Global automakers are responding with aggressive new-product strategies. BMW unveiled its new all-electric sedan, the i3, in Munich on March 18, touting up to 900 km per charge under European standards (WLTP), roughly 560 miles, as it targets the Tesla-centered market.
Another wildcard is the entry of Chinese premium EV brands. ZEEKR, part of the Geely Group, plans to enter the Korean market as early as May through ZEEKR Korea, aiming to take on Tesla directly with the mid-size SUV 7X as its strategic model.
An industry official said, “The EV market is moving rapidly out of the early adoption phase and into premium competition. With European and Chinese brands joining the space Tesla currently occupies, we’re likely to see multi-layered competition across brand, performance, and price.”
