China’s BYD Co, the largest EV maker of the world, will start selling its first battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in Japan, the firm’s Japanese division announced on Monday. This is a part of the strategy of the company to accelerate selling or making its EVs available in major markets around the world.
BYD, in which Berkshire Hathaway has a stake, has announced that it will launch an electric sports utility vehicle, ATTO 3, in Japan on January 31. The car will cost 4.4 million yen ($32,735.66) and has a cruising distance of 485 kilometers.
In comparison, Nissan Motor Co.'s standard electric Leaf model has a cruising range of 322 kilometers and costs approximately 3.7 million yen.
Launching of two more models by the end of 2023 is being planned by BYD's Japan chapter while more than 100 dealerships are planned to be set up in the country by the end of 2025, the company said.
In Japan, gasoline-electric hybrid models continue to outsell BEVs. However, the market share of battery-powered vehicles is expected to grow, thanks in part to the entry of non-Japanese automakers such as BYD and Volkswagen.
According to Atsuki Tofukuji, CEO of BYD Auto Japan Inc, the company's Japan division plans to open tentative stores in 22 cities beginning late January, but the company is eager to cover all 47 prefectures.
"We hope that we can make our presence felt little by little as we work toward carbon neutrality and as our customers demand a variety of choices," he said.
Japanese auto manufacturers have recently come under fire from activists and green investors for not adopting battery electric vehicles quickly enough.
Toyota Motor Corporation began leasing its first mass-produced fully electric vehicle, the bZ4X, in its domestic market in May, charging 106,700 yen per month for the first four years of a 10-year contract. However, due to safety concerns, it was forced to recall the product less than two months later. It resumed production in October.
Toyota is considering restarting its $38 billion EV plan after only a year to better compete in a market that is growing faster than the automaker's projections, according to Reuters in October.
(Source:www.usnews.com)
BYD, in which Berkshire Hathaway has a stake, has announced that it will launch an electric sports utility vehicle, ATTO 3, in Japan on January 31. The car will cost 4.4 million yen ($32,735.66) and has a cruising distance of 485 kilometers.
In comparison, Nissan Motor Co.'s standard electric Leaf model has a cruising range of 322 kilometers and costs approximately 3.7 million yen.
Launching of two more models by the end of 2023 is being planned by BYD's Japan chapter while more than 100 dealerships are planned to be set up in the country by the end of 2025, the company said.
In Japan, gasoline-electric hybrid models continue to outsell BEVs. However, the market share of battery-powered vehicles is expected to grow, thanks in part to the entry of non-Japanese automakers such as BYD and Volkswagen.
According to Atsuki Tofukuji, CEO of BYD Auto Japan Inc, the company's Japan division plans to open tentative stores in 22 cities beginning late January, but the company is eager to cover all 47 prefectures.
"We hope that we can make our presence felt little by little as we work toward carbon neutrality and as our customers demand a variety of choices," he said.
Japanese auto manufacturers have recently come under fire from activists and green investors for not adopting battery electric vehicles quickly enough.
Toyota Motor Corporation began leasing its first mass-produced fully electric vehicle, the bZ4X, in its domestic market in May, charging 106,700 yen per month for the first four years of a 10-year contract. However, due to safety concerns, it was forced to recall the product less than two months later. It resumed production in October.
Toyota is considering restarting its $38 billion EV plan after only a year to better compete in a market that is growing faster than the automaker's projections, according to Reuters in October.
(Source:www.usnews.com)