BYD enters Japan; plans to open 100 dealerships by 2025

KUALA LUMPUR: By now we all know BYD, the Chinese EV brand that is trying hard to make a name for itself in the segment. The brand recently delivered the first 100 units of its Atto 3 EV in Malaysia with more models in the pipeline for 2023. The brand now has plans to expand its horizons in other Asian markets, for instance, Japan.

It was only recently that BYD opened its first dealership in Japan, a market that is very deeply inclined towards its own auto industry (9 out of 10 cars sold here are built by domestic auto brands like Toyota). Making it more challenging for BYD to capture the market here in Japan, is the fact that the market itself is more fond of petrol and hybrid than battery EVs.

Part of its ambitious expansion plans in Japan includes opening up more than 100 dealerships in the country before the end of 2025.

BYD’s first Japanese store is located strategically in Yokohama, the country's second-largest city and it currently has on display the Atto 3 EV. The electric sports utility vehicle will retail for 4.4 million yen (RM 144,000) in the country and offers a range of 485 km.

At a media event to mark the opening of its outlet BYD Auto Japan Inc president Atsuki Tofukuji said,
The automaker has a good chance of succeeding if customers are willing to trust and try BYD.

Since the opening of the dealership, BYD has received almost 30 inquiries about the Atto 3. However, selling a non-Japanese-built car would be an uphill task for BYD.

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