The world’s largest EV maker is making an enormous assertion abroad. In a historic win, BYD formally outsold Toyota in EV gross sales by itself home turf for the primary time final yr.
BYD EV gross sales in Japan topped Toyota in 2024
After squeezing legacy automakers out of China with its low-cost electrical vehicles, BYD is making a robust push into abroad markets.
BYD launched its first electrical automobile (EV) in Japan in early 2023, the Atto 3. Beginning at round $30,000, this SUV competes with widespread home vehicles just like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. It additionally rivals different EVs in the marketplace, just like the Toyota bZ4X and Nissan Ariya.
In its first full gross sales yr, BYD has already outsold Toyota in EV gross sales in Japan. This accomplishment is much more spectacular since Toyota has traditionally dominated gross sales in its house market.
In keeping with the Japan Car Vendor Affiliation (by way of CarNewsChina), BYD bought 2,223 EVs in 2024. As compared, Toyota bought simply 2,038 electrical vehicles in its house market final yr.
BYD’s EV gross sales had been up 54% in comparison with 2023, whereas Toyota’s slipped 30% yr over yr (YOY). Since launching in 2023, BYD has launched a number of top-selling fashions, together with the Dolphin hatchback and Seal sedan.
Beginning at simply 2.99 million yen ($19,000), the Dolphin competes with top-selling home vehicles just like the Toyota Prius and Nissan LEAF.
After launching the Seal final June, extensively seen as its reply to the Tesla Mannequin 3, BYD’s electrical sedan was already the top-selling imported EV in Japan by August. BYD’s Seal begins at 5.28 million yen, or round $33,500.
BYD is popping up the strain in 2025 with plans to launch the Sealion 07 in Japan, its new good mid-size electrical SUV.
Japan’s complete EV gross sales fell 33% to simply under 60,000 in 2024, its first YOY decline in 4 years. Nissan led the market with a roughly 50% share regardless of LEAF gross sales slipping practically 50% (30,749) from 2023. Though Toyota bZ4X gross sales had been up 10%, just one,012 fashions had been bought in 2024. Toyota’s electrical SUV begins at 5.5 million yen ($35,000).
Electrek’s Take
After dropping vital market share in China, a important marketplace for Japanese automakers, BYD is now taking their house market by storm.
Though it’s nonetheless a small quantity, BYD’s rising presence in Japan is spectacular. Japan has been a difficult marketplace for overseas manufacturers to compete in. Outdoors of luxurious automakers like Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and BWM, home manufacturers have traditionally dominated auto gross sales in Japan.
Toyota accounted for over a 3rd of the market alone final yr. After topping Nissan and Honda for the primary time in international automobile gross sales final yr, BYD is laying the groundwork for extra development in 2025.
The Chinese language EV chief is increasing with new fashions launching in Europe, Southeast Asia, Central and South America, and extra. Will BYD finally high Toyota in international gross sales? Because the trade shifts to EVs, BYD is shortly gaining momentum whereas Toyota lags in key markets.
Supply: CarNewsChina, JAMA
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