Chery to launch Emta kei car to rival BYD Racco in Japan

Chery, through its joint venture EMT, is reportedly set to launch the Emta kei car in Japan in 2027 to compete with BYD’s Racco, according to Carnewschina on Thursday (28 May) local time. The vehicle appears to be a five-door variant of Chery’s 2021 Chinese city electric car, the QQ Ice Cream.

The Emta #01 features square headlights, black pillars, a minimalist bumper, and small side mirrors. It measures 3.4 metres in length and 1.48 metres in width. Brand officials emphasised that the car has crash safety performance equivalent to larger vehicles.

Emta is a car brand under Singapore-based Electric Mobility Technologies (EMT). The joint venture comprises Chery Automobile with a 27.27% stake, Jiangsu Yueda Automobile Group at 27.27%, Autobacs Seven at 18.18%, Gotion at 18.18%, and Anest with 9.09%.

Upcoming EMTA models include hatchbacks, SUVs, and minivans, with further details to be announced later. The Emta #01 is positioned as a direct competitor to BYD’s Racco, which is also entering the Japanese market with a price of approximately 2.5 million yen (US$15,670 or Rp278 million).

It is worth noting that BYD and Chery are currently vying for the title of China’s largest car exporter. According to China EV DataTracker, BYD exported 135,098 vehicles in April 2026, while Chery exported 177,573.