Chinese EV Makers Targeting Japanese Market

Tokyo, Aug. 13 (Jiji Press)--Chinese automakers are banking on the Japanese electric vehicle market as they struggle with slowing growth in their home market and high tariffs in the United States and Europe.

BYD Co., a Chinese electric vehicle giant, released the Racco, a minivehicle developed exclusively for the Japanese market, on July 28. BYD Vice President Liu Xueliang said at a launch event in Tokyo that the company will work to win a Japanese market share in the long run.

The automaker hired a former engineer at Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co. who led the development of its Sakura electric minivehicle to develop the Racco.

The BYD electric minivehicle features automatic sliding doors popular among families with children and includes equipment such as an umbrella stand and a cup holder with heat insulation.

BYD sold about 4.6 million units globally last year, with growth primarily in Southeast Asia and Europe. It overtook U.S. automaker Tesla Inc. as the world's largest electric vehicle manufacturer.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]