The Chinese BYD Racco received 1002 orders in its first two weeks of sales in Japan. Sales began on July 28, and the model itself became the first specially designed foreign car to meet Japanese kei-car requirements.
The Racco is offered in three versions – 200, 300 Plus, and 300 Premium. Prices range from 2.145 million to 2.497 million yen (from 1.13 million to 1.31 million rubles) before subsidy. The government compensation for all trim levels is 150 thousand yen (79,000 rubles).
The technology is designed specifically for urban use. The front wheels are driven by an electric motor with a power of 47 kW (64 hp) and a torque of 160 N·m. The basic version received a 22.4 kWh battery and a range of 210 km, while the 300 variants have a 35.84 kWh battery and up to 320 km without recharging.
There is also a feature interesting for Japan – the Racco is equipped with a CHAdeMO connector for fast charging. The maximum power reaches 49.7 kW in the higher versions. In addition, V2L and V2H are provided, allowing the battery to be used as an energy source for external devices or a home.
For now, the main competitor remains the Nissan Sakura. But the significance of the Racco is broader than just one model: BYD is trying to compete with Japanese manufacturers not on the periphery of the market, but in the country's most mass and specific car class.