Earlier this year, a new small hatchback BYD model in the right-hand-drive configuration was spotted at multiple car parks and testing facilities in China. It was speculated that this particular model was for the Japanese market since it resembled Kei cars found in Japan.
Now, to the surprise of many, the model has been teased again on BYD’s Japan X account, flagging its unveiling at the end of this month in the country.
In the post written in Japanese, BYD shared: “BYD unveils its first “light EV.” What kind of vehicle will it be? Please look forward to it.”
In the dark photo, the body of a small hatchback is visible, with parts of the head and taillight slightly illuminated.
From the side angle, it resembles the car seen testing earlier in the year and from the looks of it is expected to be revealed in the Japanese market next week.
Not a lot of information is known about this model apart from reports in July, which provided hints of the battery pack and respective range.
On the battery pack front, this model is likely to feature a 20 kWh BYD blade battery pack, delivering up to 180 km of WLTP range.
Those reports also mentioned that this pack could be charged at DC speeds of up to 100 kW. If true, this would make it faster charging than the recently revealed Atto 1 with the 30 kWh pack, which has a peak DC charging speed of 65 kW.
For comparison, Atto 1’s range with the larger pack is listed as 220 km of WLTP range.
Previous sightings of the car has revealed multiple design elements of this unique small car. The rear, like the last sightings, is fairly flat, but this time around, a single wiper is also spotted.
A photo also revealed the interior, which has a BYD steering wheel and a screen behind it. There is also a larger screen in the centre, like most of the other models in the company’s EV lineup. The window had small BYD logo, highlighting the company’s capabilities in vertical integration.
Given many of the Kei car models in Japan are powered by an engine with up to 660 cc of capacity, an electric variant by BYD could really help put the NEV brand on Japanese consumers’ shortlist in years to come.
BYD’s Japanese sales have been on the rise since its launch in the market. In 2024, the company sold 2,223 cars in the country. That was with its Atto 3, Seal and Dolphin.
Given that BYD’s compact hatchback, the Atto 1, is not currently offered in Japan, the potential upcoming microcar from the brand could be a seller for the Chinese brand. This could also set the path for the model that the company sells in other right hand drive countries in years to come.
We will keep an eye out for any further information on this model’s specs and potential pricing, which could make this BYD’s best-seller in Japan.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.
