![An electric-vehicle charging station at a building in Seoul. [Photo=Yonhap]](https://image.ajunews.com/content/image/2026/04/21/20260421140221667097.jpg)
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said Tuesday that new EV registrations surpassed 100,000 on April 14.
The pace is faster than in previous years. In 2025, when EV adoption was highest for the year at 220,919 vehicles, new registrations crossed 100,000 in the second week of July. In 2024, with 146,902 vehicles, the milestone came in the second week of September.
Cumulative EV registrations exceeded 1 million on April 15. As of April 17, the total stood at 1,004,727.
Through March, EVs accounted for 83,533 of 415,746 new vehicles, or 20.1%. The EV share slipped slightly from 9.2% in 2023 to 8.9% in 2024, but rose to 13.0% in 2025.
The ministry attributed the increase to a wider range of new models, price discount competition among automakers, expanded subsidies including government support for switching from internal-combustion vehicles, and early implementation of rollout programs. Some observers also cited higher oil prices linked to the recent Middle East situation.
The government recently secured additional supplementary-budget funding for EV purchase subsidies covering 20,000 passenger cars and 9,000 trucks. That brings this year’s planned subsidy volumes to 280,000 passenger cars, 45,000 trucks and 3,800 buses.
With a growing number of local governments running out of first-half subsidy allocations, the government plans to urge municipalities with remaining second-half volumes to move up their public notices. The municipalities planning to do so number 81 for passenger cars and 75 for trucks.
The government also said it will allow local governments that need additional budget allocations to pay subsidies first using national funds.
Minister Kim Seong-hwan said, “This year will be recorded as a historic year that opens the era of 1 million electric vehicles,” adding that the government will pursue “effective and swift measures” so the public does not face inconvenience in using EVs.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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