As The World Move Towards Less Carbon Emission, Diesel Car Sales Fall to Fresh Low

Following the global trend towards reducing emissions and carbon footprint, diesel cars are expected to account for less than 10 percent of the car market in Korea for the first time this year since they were made fully available for sale in 2005.

Diesel cars were once considered attractive for their power and fuel efficiency, despite often being priced higher than gasoline cars. Demand peaked in the early to mid-2010s, accounting for 45.9 percent of new car sales in 2015.

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However, as diesel fuel prices have risen, and environmentally friendly cars like hybrids and electric cars have gained traction, diesel cars have declined in popularity.

According to data released by market tracker Carisyou on Sunday, in the first 10 months of this year, a total of 115,350 new diesel cars were registered in Korea, accounting for only 9.2 percent of overall car registrations. This is a significant drop from the previous low of 12.6 percent last year.

The drop is attributed to a global trend towards reducing emissions, as diesel cars produce a lot of nitrogen oxide, a major contributor to fine particulate pollution.

Also playing a part is a recent rapid rise in diesel fuel prices amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.