BYD will take the Racco, a battery-electric (BEV) mini car developed from scratch for the Japanese market, into other markets, starting with Sri Lanka and China's Macau. The plan was announced at a delivery ceremony at BYD's store in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, near Tokyo, marking the brand's cumulative vehicle deliveries in Japan passing 10,000 units, according to Chinese outlet Gasgoo, as republished by D1EV, citing Nikkei.
Racco pre-orders are now open in Macau, while Sri Lanka is scheduled to hold a launch event on Oct 9 and begin official sales. BYD said it will evaluate market demand and continue expanding to more countries and regions, prioritising markets that, like Japan, use right-hand-drive vehicles.
The Racco was designed by BYD from the ground up for Japan, built to comply with the country's K-Car (light automobile) regulations. The K-Car category applies to very small vehicles with strict limits on size and output, and it carries tax and registration advantages in Japan; that combination helps explain the format's popularity on the country's narrow streets. An electric version of the compact formula could appeal in dense cities elsewhere, and launching the Racco beyond Japan lets BYD spread development costs while testing demand.
First 10,000 in Japan, orders building
BYD entered Japan's passenger-car market in January 2023 and has taken about four years to reach 10,000 deliveries. "We spent about four years to deliver the first 10,000 vehicles; the next 10,000 will definitely come faster," Liu Xueliang, BYD vice president, said at the ceremony. "We must build a solid sales network and aftersales service system."
The Racco has been on sale in Japan for two months, and cumulative orders are about to surpass 2,000 units, Liu said. "We feel this car has won recognition from many consumers," he said. "In the future, we want more people to experience the Racco and further increase sales."
Testing a right-hand-drive niche
Bringing the Racco to Sri Lanka and Macau gives BYD two low-cost entry points to test a vehicle designed around Japanese road conditions in other right-hand-drive markets. The model's narrow-body K-Car proportions are a departure from the larger sedans and SUVs that BYD sells in most export markets, and the company says it will keep studying demand before choosing where to sell it next.
BYD's Japan operation remains a long-term build. Liu said the company needs to lay a solid foundation of sales and aftersales service before pushing for volume. With the Racco now set to travel beyond Japan, the model gives BYD an additional growth path while the company continues to expand its mainstream electric-car lineup in other regions.
