Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD has said it will start selling passenger cars in Japan in 2023, putting it in fierce competition with Western and domestic automakers.
At a press conference in Tokyo, BYD Japan said it would release SUVs, compact cars and sedans without specifying prices
“We would like to promote (the vehicles) at an accessible price range while remaining mindful of market conditions,” an executive of BYD Japan said.
The portfolio of electric vehicles produced by BYD is quite large, ranging from sedans, SUVs and even electric commercial vehicles. In February, BYD released the Atto 3 electric SUV with a range of up to 485 kilometers, will debut in Japan in January 2023.
The electric compact car and electric sedan are scheduled to be available for the Japanese market in early 2023 with a range of around 500 km.
“Today, with the support and expectation of consumers, BYD officially hits the new energy passenger vehicle market in Japan. The longest journey starts with a single step, and we greatly cherish this business opportunity.” said BYD Chairman and President Wang Chuanfu
Previously, Mercedes-Benz Japan announced it would add electric vehicle models from the previous two to five this year. Meanwhile, Audi Japan doubled the number of models to eight from the previous year.
Meanwhile, the Japanese automaker has been trying to catch up with electric vehicle models. Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors have jointly released a new electric vehicle model in June.
