Watch out, Toyota. BYD continues its dominant overseas expansion after accounting for over 20% of Japan’s EV imports last month. After launching just last year, BYD is already making its presence known as Japan lags behind the auto industry’s shift to electric.
BYD accounts for one-fifth of Japan’s EV imports
According to new data from the Japan Automobile Importers Association (JAIA) released Wednesday, Japan’s total EV imports reached 1,186. That number is up 11% from last year.
Of the 1,186 electric cars imported into the nation, BYD accounted for 217 of them. Although this is still a small number in the grand scheme of things, it’s impressive given that BYD just launched EVs in the country last year. More importantly, Japan isn’t known for its imports.
BYD officially entered Japan’s auto market last January, launching its affordable Atto 3 (Yuan Plus in China) electric SUV.
In September, BYD launched another low-cost EV, its Dolphin electric hatch. Starting at ¥3.63 million ($24,500), BYD aims to rival Toyota on its home turf.
With a 70 kWh battery, the Dolphin EV can travel up to 250 miles (400 km). An extended range version (150 kWh battery) offers up to 295 miles (476 km) range, starting at ¥4 million ($27,000).
BYD plans to launch its Seal electric sedan this spring while expanding its network to include over 100 outlets by 2025.
The Chinese automaker already accounted for over 1% of Japan’s total auto sales last month. The growth comes as domestic automakers like Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Mazda lag behind the market.
Of the over 11.2 million vehicles Toyota sold last year, only 104,000, or less than 1%, were all-electric. Meanwhile, Tesla’s Model Y topped the RAV4 and Corolla for the best-selling car title globally last year as the industry shifts to EVs.
City Dwellers’s Take
Japan is not known for importing vehicles. Domestic automakers like Toyota and Nissan dominate the region’s auto sales.
In the first half of last year, imports accounted for only 5% of Japan’s total market. And it was the first time import sales were up in two years.
Most imports were luxury brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi. BYD’s growing presence (although still relatively small) is meaningful. As the automaker ramps exports, BYD will be a brand to watch in Japan.
Japan’s reluctance toward all-electric vehicles is beginning to show as EV imports continue building. BYD and others look to take advantage as buyers look for the latest tech and efficiency.
: CarNewsChina, JAIA
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