BYD Launches Electric Light Vehicle Racco in Japan, Priced Under 2 Million Yen, Targets 10,000 Orders by 2026

BYD has launched the Racco, an electric light vehicle, in Japan. After including taxes and deducting government subsidies, the entry-level version can be priced below 2 million yen (about 1.58 million Singapore dollars or 96,000 Hong Kong dollars). However, because the Racco receives fewer government subsidies, the actual purchase price after subsidies for consumers is still higher than that of the Sakura. The Racco has a range of at least 210 kilometers, while the Nissan Sakura has a maximum range of 180 kilometers on a full charge, with a starting price of about 2.44 million yen.

Kei cars, or light vehicles, account for about one-third of Japan's auto sales, and have long been dominated by domestic automakers such as Honda and Suzuki. The cheapest new petrol light vehicle is priced at only about 1.2 million yen. BYD plans to secure 10,000 orders for the Racco by the end of 2026, in order to expand its foothold in the Japanese market. As of the end of 2025, BYD's cumulative sales since its entry into the Japanese market in 2023 stood at slightly more than 7,400 vehicles.

Atsuki Tofukuji, president of BYD Auto Japan, said that the entry-level Racco will be priced below 2 million yen after including subsidies. The launch of the Racco highlights the challenge Chinese automakers pose to their Japanese counterparts. In China, the world's largest auto market, Japanese automakers are losing market share to local electric vehicle makers such as BYD.