China's BYD unveiled its first dealership in Japan on Tuesday, taking on one of the biggest challenges in its explosive global rise as it seeks to win over customers deeply loyal to their motor industry.
BYD, an acronym for Build Your Dreams, has ambitious plans to open more than 100 dealerships in Japan by the end of 2025.
But it faces a tough task in a country where petrol and hybrid models are much more popular than battery-electric vehicle (BEVs) and nine in 10 cars sold annually are built by domestic firms such as Toyota.
"If customers trust us and give BYD a try, we'll have a good chance (at succeeding)," BYD Japan president Atsuki Tofukuji said at the opening of its outlet in Yokohama, Japan's second-largest city.
At the store, BYD is showcasing its ATTO 3 electric sports utility vehicle, which has a cruising distance of 485km and costs 4.4 million yen (about R590,000).
BYD was the world's biggest seller of BEVs and plug-in hybrids in 2022, with 1.86-million vehicles, most in China and well ahead of Tesla with 1.3-million.
About 30 people have contacted the Yokohama dealership to inquire about the new cars, according to Kazuhisa Okamoto, who runs the store.
But convincing the broader population could be an uphill battle.
"There's no mistake that I'll buy a domestically made car if I ever buy an EV," said Kazumasa Hanegi, a transportation firm worker who was walking his dog near the dealership and who owns a hybrid vehicle.
BYD dreams of making it big in Japan
Image: Sjoerd van der Wal/Getty Images
China's BYD unveiled its first dealership in Japan on Tuesday, taking on one of the biggest challenges in its explosive global rise as it seeks to win over customers deeply loyal to their motor industry.
BYD, an acronym for Build Your Dreams, has ambitious plans to open more than 100 dealerships in Japan by the end of 2025.
But it faces a tough task in a country where petrol and hybrid models are much more popular than battery-electric vehicle (BEVs) and nine in 10 cars sold annually are built by domestic firms such as Toyota.
"If customers trust us and give BYD a try, we'll have a good chance (at succeeding)," BYD Japan president Atsuki Tofukuji said at the opening of its outlet in Yokohama, Japan's second-largest city.
At the store, BYD is showcasing its ATTO 3 electric sports utility vehicle, which has a cruising distance of 485km and costs 4.4 million yen (about R590,000).
BYD was the world's biggest seller of BEVs and plug-in hybrids in 2022, with 1.86-million vehicles, most in China and well ahead of Tesla with 1.3-million.
About 30 people have contacted the Yokohama dealership to inquire about the new cars, according to Kazuhisa Okamoto, who runs the store.
But convincing the broader population could be an uphill battle.
"There's no mistake that I'll buy a domestically made car if I ever buy an EV," said Kazumasa Hanegi, a transportation firm worker who was walking his dog near the dealership and who owns a hybrid vehicle.
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