2024 Electric Vehicle Sales in Japan Decline, But BYD Soars

KatadataOTO – Although it is one of the countries with the highest vehicle sales, the adoption of electric cars in Japan is actually not very fast. This is evident from its sales figures, which are less than significant.

In fact, local manufacturers are more focused on developing hybrid vehicles rather than EVs. This approach is slightly different from most manufacturers who are prioritizing electric cars as their future mainstay.

Reported by CarNewsChina, throughout 2024, the Land of the Rising Sun only managed to sell 59,736 EVs, a decrease of 33 percent from the previous year.

Of that total, Nissan is still the largest contributor, controlling 50 percent of the electric vehicle market in Japan. However, their electric car sales fell by 44 percent to just 30,749 units, the lowest figure since 2021.

Photo : Nissan

The decline occurred because the Nissan Sakura only sold 22,926 units, down 38 percent from last year. Similarly, sales of the Nissan Leaf also weakened by up to 48 percent.

BYD Electric Car Sales Beat Toyota

However, there was an interesting surprise in this segment as BYD's electric car sales managed to surpass Toyota's. The Chinese manufacturer reportedly sold at least 2,223 EV units, an increase of 54 percent from the previous year.

Meanwhile, Toyota only managed to sell 2,038 EV units. This means the sales difference between BYD and Toyota's electric cars is only 185 units.

Although it's only a slim margin, this shows that BYD's products have successfully attracted the Japanese public. The Chinese manufacturer certainly does not want to miss this momentum and is trying to launch more models in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Photo : KatadataOTO

BYD entered Japan relying on the Atto 3, then gradually brought in several other models. Ranging from the Dolphin to the Seal, the choices have become more numerous.

This year, BYD is also rumored to be launching the Sealion 7 in the country, further expanding the choices for the public.

Not only that, they will also open at least 100 outlets in the country to make it easier for people to buy and maintain their vehicles.