Seal makes splash in Japan
BYD, China’s leading automobile manufacturer, is challenging Toyota in its home market by launching its latest electric vehicle (EV) in Japan.
The Seal is BYD’s third fully electric model to be launched there where it’s priced from about NZS53,900.
BYD is aiming to secure market share from both conventional ICEs and modern EVs in the market.
The first BYD EV to be launched in Japan was the Atto 3 in January 2023. It’s one of the world’s top-selling battery-powered SUVs.
In September last year, the Chinese marque started selling its Dolphin there in competition with the likes of the Toyota Prius and Nissan Leaf.
The Seal will compete with models such as Tesla’s Model 3. At the same time, it is expected to pose a tough challenge to Toyota.
The first BYD dealership in Japan opened in February last year. Since then, it has sold nearly 2,500 EVs there.
Remaining undeterred in its quest to expand its footprint in the Japanese market, BYD has plans to launch at least one EV annually and establish 100 dealerships by the end of 2025.
