BYD has announced its first electric kei car

Chinese auto giant BYD is preparing to unveil its first compact electric vehicle for the Japanese market. The premiere will take place at the Japan Mobility Show at the end of October, but in the meantime, the company has released the first images of its upcoming new model.

This is a kei car model, an ultra-compact vehicle that is extremely popular among Japanese drivers. These cars, less than 3.4 meters long, account for about 40% of sales in the country. Last year alone, the Japanese bought about 1.55 million such cars.

According to leaks, the electric car is built on a new platform and will have a 20 kWh battery, providing a range of about 180 km. The car will likely be equipped with the company's Blade LFP batteries, and the price is expected to be around $18,000, making it a competitor to the Nissan Sakura, the most popular electric car in Japan in 2024.

The Japanese press is already quoting Suzuki dealers who call the release of cheap BYD models a “serious threat” to Honda. However, the latter recently unveiled the electric N-ONE for $18,300.