US electric carmaker Tesla Motors sold 4,070 vehicles in South Korea in the first three months this year, becoming the third most sold imported auto brand here, data by the Trade Ministry and the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association showed.

Tesla’s sales jumped to 2,499 units in March from 1,433 in February and 138 in January, boosted by the sales of the Model 3, data showed.

Tesla, who is not a member of the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association, reports its sales figure to the Trade Ministry. The ministry did not make available the data from a year ago for comparison.

Tesla’s sales accounted for 46 percent of 8,831 electric vehicles in the first quarter, including Hyundai Motor’s Ioniq and Kia Motors’ Niro, the ministry said.

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)