BYD launched the Racco all-electric K-Car in Japan on July 28

The Chinese automaker officially launched its first K-Car model developed specifically for the Japanese market, the Racco, on Tuesday, entering the country's most important vehicle segment and challenging Toyota, Honda and Nissan on their home turf. The Racco starts at 2.145 million yen ($13,100) in Japan. After a 150,000-yen government subsidy, the entry-level version comes in below 2 million yen, with a WLTC range of 210 kilometers 

BYD Japan officially launched its first K-Car model developed specifically for the Japanese market, the Racco, on July 28, marking the Chinese automaker’s first entry into the country’s highly competitive K-Car (microcar) segment, dominated by Japanese manufacturers, including Nissan, Honda, Suzuki and Daihatsu. 

Unlike BYD’s existing passenger vehicles sold in Japan, the Racco was engineered specifically to comply with the country’s K-Car regulations. It measures 3,395 mm in length and 1,475 mm in width, matching Japan’s legal size limits for the segment, while its 1,800 mm overall height adopts the tall-roof design widely favoured by local buyers. It features a four-door layout with rear sliding doors and can accommodate up to four passengers. The rear seats fold completely flat, creating up to 1,372 litres of cargo capacity. While BYD has not announced a commercial derivative, the platform’s available cargo space could also make it suitable for future utility-focused variants. 

Power comes from a single electric motor mounted on the front axle, delivering a maximum output of 47 kW (63 hp, 64 Ps) and peak torque of 160 Nm. Rather than adapting an existing Chinese-market model, BYD developed the Racco exclusively for the Japanese market. The move expands the company’s local lineup beyond conventional passenger EVs and into the country’s largest passenger vehicle category. The Racco includes several features uncommon in Japan’s microcar EV segment, depending on the variant. 

Available equipment includes a power-sliding side door with foot-gesture activation, NFC smartphone key, battery preheating, vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, a 10.1-inch central touchscreen, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, six airbags, tire-pressure monitoring, a six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a heated cup holder. In terms of powertrain, the Racco is available with two battery options. 

The entry-level “200” version is equipped with a 22.4 kWh battery pack and offers a WLTC-rated range of around 210 km. The higher-end “300” version uses a 35.84 kWh battery pack with WLTC range extended to 320 km, making it the first battery-electric K-Car in Japan to exceed the 300 km mark under the country’s testing cycle. DC fast charging is capped at 50 kW, roughly on par with the Honda N-ONE e:, which has a smaller battery. 

The BYD Racco comes in three versions in Japan: the entry-level 200, and the higher-spec 300 Plus and 300 Premium. The Racco starts at 2.145 million yen ($13,100), including consumption tax, and qualifies for Japan’s national EV subsidy of 150,000 yen ($917). The entry-level model carries a pre-tax price of 1.95 million yen ($11,900), with a WLTC range of 210 kilometers, positioning it below the Nissan Sakura before taxes and incentives. By comparison, Nissan's Sakura, currently Japan's best-selling electric vehicle, starts at about 2.44 million yen and offers a range of just 180 kilometers on a full charge. Honda's all-electric minicar, the N-ONE e:, starts at around 2.7 million yen. The two higher-spec versions start at 2.398 million yen and 2.497 million yen respectively. The Racco will be offered in six exterior colours and two interior themes, with the black-and-beige interior reserved for the flagship 300 Premium grade. 

To support the Racco's launch, BYD also plans to open mini dealerships displaying just one or two models in regional cities with fewer than 500,000 residents, aiming to reach rural areas where demand for mini EVs is strong. "We intend to cover small, regional commercial areas in order to sell mini EVs," said Atsuki Tofukuji, president of BYD Auto Japan. These dealerships will be located in remote cities with populations under 500,000. Each outlet will display only a few models and open quickly. BYD’s decision to launch the Racco, a model specifically developed around Japanese consumer needs, reflects its strategy of using locally adapted products to expand its presence in the market.