BYD Racco becomes Japan's first K-Car EV with over 300 km range

BYD has officially launched the Racco in Japan, marking the Chinese automaker’s first foray into the country’s highly competitive K-Car segment. The electric hatchback offers a range of up to 320 kilometres under the WLTC standard, making it the first battery-powered K-Car to exceed 300 kilometres. The launch represents BYD’s initial step into a market long dominated by Japanese manufacturers such as Nissan, Suzuki, Honda, and Daihatsu. Earlier reports had indicated BYD’s intentions, including the recruitment of a former Nissan executive experienced in the K-Car segment to aid the project’s development. The BYD Racco is priced from 2.145 million yen, including consumption tax, and qualifies for Japan’s national electric vehicle subsidies. Unlike other BYD passenger vehicles sold in Japan, the Racco was specifically engineered to comply with K-Car regulations. It measures within the legal size limits for the segment, with a length of 3,395 mm and a width of 1,475 mm. The vehicle features a single electric motor powering the front axle, producing a maximum of 20 kW and 110 Nm of torque. Two battery options are available, with the top variant offering a 35.84 kWh Blade Battery using lithium iron phosphate technology. The Racco supports DC fast charging up to 100 kW, significantly outpacing domestic competitors like the Honda N-ONE e: and Nissan Sakura. The rear seats fold completely flat to provide up to 1,372 litres of cargo space. Depending on the variant, the Racco offers features uncommon in Japan’s micro EV segment, including electric sliding doors with foot activation, NFC digital key via smartphone, battery heating, vehicle-to-load capability, a 10.1-inch central touchscreen, heated front seats and steering wheel, six airbags, a tyre pressure monitoring system, a six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and heated cup holders. The Racco will be available in six exterior colours and two interior themes, with the black and cream interior exclusive to the top-tier 300 Premium variant. It remains to be seen whether the lower starting price, extended range, and comprehensive features will translate into strong sales once deliveries commence, but the launch marks BYD’s deliberate targeting of one of Japan’s most competitive vehicle segments, where the Honda N-Box remained the country’s best-selling car with over 56,000 units sold in the first quarter of 2026 alone.