BYD Racco EV K-Car officially revealed its interior in Japan

The new electric kei car will start sales this year with a price of around 2.5 million yen ($16,340), targeting the vast Japanese kei car market. Despite its compact dimensions, the car seems to provide ample interior room, particularly in terms of vertical space 

The BYD Racco electric kei car (K-Car) officially revealed its interior in Japan as it gets closer to the market launch. It will start sales this year with a price of around 2.5 million yen ($16,340) targeting the vast Japanese kei car market. Despite its compact dimensions of 3395mm in length, 1475mm in width, and 1800mm in height, the car seems to provide ample interior room, particularly in terms of vertical space. Front seats adopt a continuous, bench-style design, a practical feature for navigating narrow Japanese streets. This allows occupants to easily enter and exit the vehicle, even if the driver’s side is close to a wall. 

The interior of the BYD Racco adopts a typical kei car architecture with a gear lever mounted on a short center console. The BYD Racco has a floating touchscreen and an LCD instrument cluster. There is a practical block of physical buttons to manage climate control. The BYD Racco also has a 12V, a USB, and a Type-C charging ports. The Racco’s center console has a storage space on top and a glovebox. Another storage compartment is located in the center tunnel. 

Similar to other kei cars, the Racco has a tall windshield that provides good visibility.  Another benefit for the driver is a three-spoke steering wheel with functional buttons. The BYD Racco also has sun shades, power windows, power side-view mirror adjustments, and heated front seats. There is also a sunglass holder on the driver’s side. 

The BYD Racco has a single electric motor in the front axle with a peak power of 20 kW (27 hp). The Racco is powered by an LFP battery made by BYD subsidiary FinDreams. It provides a WLTC range of 180 km and supports DC charging at up to 100 kW. The BYD Racco will enter Japan in the summer or autumn of 2026 with a price of around 2.5 million yen ($16,340). Last year, 1,667,360 kei cars were sold there with the Honda N-Box as the bestselling model. 

BYD’s advantage lies in its in-house electric powertrain expertise, battery cost efficiency, and a strong track record in Japan — particularly with its electric buses, which have operated reliably in several Japanese cities for years. Japan’s K-Car segment, dominated by Nissan, Honda, and Daihatsu, is fiercely competitive but also evolving rapidly toward electrification. BYD’s entry with the Racco marks a bold attempt to gain a foothold in one of the world’s most traditional automotive markets. Whether the Chinese automaker can capture a share of Japan’s compact EV market remains to be seen, but with its growing brand recognition and advanced EV technology, the BYD Racco could give local automakers a serious challenge.