|
BYD, an acronym which stands 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 Motor Corp.
"If customers trust us and give BYD a try, we'll have a good
chance (at succeeding)," BYD Auto Japan Inc President Atsuki
Tofukuji told Reuters at a media event to mark the opening of
its maiden 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 485 kilometres
(301 miles) and costs 4.4 million yen ($33,744).
BYD was the world's biggest seller of BEVs and plug-in hybrids
in 2022 with a total of 1.86 million vehicles - most of those in
China and well ahead of Tesla with 1.3 million.
About 30 people have contacted the Yokohama dealership to
enquire 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 in his fifties who was walking his dog near BYD's new
dealership and who owns a hybrid vehicle.
($1 = 130.39 yen)
(Reporting by Daniel Leussink; editing by John Geddie and Jason
Neely)
[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
