BYD Teases Japan-only Kei car that’ll be smaller and cheaper than Atto 1
BYD is taking aim at Japan’s most competitive car segment with its smallest vehicle yet; a fully electric kei car designed specifically for Japanese city streets.
The Chinese automaker has released a teaser image of the pint-sized model ahead of its official debut at next week’s Tokyo Motor Show, where it will join the growing ranks of battery-powered urban runabouts.
Spy photos circulating on Chinese social media show a tall, boxy prototype wearing camouflage, featuring sliding side doors and the stubby proportions typical of Japan’s kei class, a segment defined by ultra-compact vehicles designed for tight city environments and to take advantage of lower car tax rates.
BYD enters Japan’s Kei car territory
Kei cars are a uniquely Japanese category that must measure under 3.4 metres long, 1.48 metres wide, and 2.02 metres tall, with petrol engines capped at 660cc and 47kW.
While traditionally powered by small combustion engines, BYD’s new entrant will skip petrol power altogether, expected to launch as a fully electric model aimed at city commuters.
Read more – BYD NZ to announce Atto 1 pricing on November 6
According to Carscoops, the EV will feature a single electric motor and a 20kWh battery, offering an estimated 180km WLTP range; modest, but more than enough for daily urban driving. Fast charging at up to 100kW DC will allow quick top-ups between errands.
The yet-unnamed Kei car is expected to be priced from around ¥2.5 million (NZ$28,000), putting it on par with Japan’s established competitors such as the Mitsubishi eK X EV and just above the market-leading Honda N-Box.
BYD’s decision to enter this tightly contested segment, dominated by Toyota, Suzuki, Daihatsu, and Honda, is seen as a bold and unconventional move. It will also mark the brand’s first Japan-exclusive model, with no plans to export the kei car to other markets.
Small car strategy expands
The new mini EV will sit below the BYD Atto 1 (known overseas as the Seagull or Dolphin Mini), which is due to launch in New Zealand later this year as the country’s most affordable new electric car.
While BYD hasn’t revealed technical details for the kei car beyond its teaser, the project signals the company’s continued push into global market niches, from luxury sedans and utes to micro EVs built for Japan’s narrow streets.
With the Tokyo Motor Show set to open next week, BYD’s smallest and most city-friendly model yet looks ready to steal some attention from Japan’s own microcar specialists.
