YOKOHAMA, Japan – China’s BYD Co. unveiled its first dealership in Japan on Tuesday, one of the biggest challenges in its explosive global rise as it seeks to win customers deeply loyal to the country’s auto industry. I am working on one.
BYD, an acronym for Build Your Dreams, has ambitious plans to open over 100 dealers in Japan by the end of 2025.
However, gasoline and hybrid vehicles are much more popular than battery electric vehicles, and nine out of ten mini vehicles sold annually are Toyota motor corporation
“If customers trust us and give BYD a try, we have a good chance[to be successful],” said Atsuki Higashifukuchi, president of BYD Auto Japan Co., Ltd., of the first outlet in Yokohama, Japan. told Reuters at a media event marking the opening. second largest city.
BYD displays ATTO 3 in store Electrical With a range of 485 kilometers (301 miles), the crossover costs 4.4 million yen ($33,744).
BYD is the world’s largest BEV and plug-in hybrid with a total of 1.86 million vehicles sold in 2022, mostly in China, well ahead of Tesla with 1.3 million.
According to Kazuhisa Okamoto of the Yokohama store, about 30 people have inquired about new cars.
But convincing more people can be an uphill battle.
“If you’re going to buy an EV, you definitely want a domestic car,” said Kazumasa Hagi, a transportation company in his 50s who owns a hybrid and was walking his dog near BYD’s new dealership. rice field.