BYD Racco Orders Reach 1,000 Units in 2 Weeks in Japan

JAKARTA - The BYD Racco electric kei car has started to show positive responses in the Japanese market. Just two weeks after being officially marketed, the Chinese company's small electric vehicle has bagged more than 1,000 orders.

Launching from Carnewschina, Wednesday, August 12, BYD targets the number of Racco orders to reach 10,000 units by the end of 2026. Nikkei also reported that, BYD Racco has recorded 1,002 orders as of August 9, 2026.

Interestingly, the highest variant of 300 Premium became the choice of the majority of consumers with a contribution of 80 percent of the total order. BYD Racco officially entered the Japanese market on July 28, 2026 with a starting price of 2,140,000 to 2,497,000 yen.

The car is offered in three options, namely 200, 300 Plus, and 300 Premium. A survey of consumers showed that the 300 Plus variant accounted for 14 percent of total orders, while the 200 version was chosen by 6 percent of consumers.

In terms of usage, as many as 35.7 percent of buyers make Racco an additional vehicle. The same percentage bought Racco to replace the vehicle they had previously owned, while 26.8 percent were first-time car buyers.

In terms of design, the BYD Racco carries the typical character of a kei car with a boxy body. This front-wheel-drive electric car has dimensions of 3,395 mm long, 1,475 mm wide, and 1,800 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,520 mm. Its turning radius is only 4.8 meters, thus supporting the need for mobility in urban areas of Japan.

The Racco has a cabin with a capacity of four passengers and a 280-liter luggage compartment. BYD provides two options for LFP batteries with a capacity of 22.4 kWh and 35.84 kWh. The energy is used to drive an electric motor with a peak power of 47 kW or 63 hp and a maximum torque of 160 Nm.

The distance traveled is in the range of 210 to 320 km, depending on the battery capacity used. For the Racco 200 variant, DC charging can be done with a power of up to 35.8 kW via a CHAdeMO connector.

Meanwhile, the version with a larger battery capacity is capable of receiving charging power of up to 49.7 kW. In terms of features, BYD equips the Racco with adaptive cruise control (ACC) and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) as standard equipment. The interior is also equipped with a 10.1-inch touchscreen and an audio system with a configuration of up to six speakers.

In the Japanese market, one of Racco's main rivals is Nissan Sakura. The electric kei car uses a 20 kWh battery that drives a 47 kW or 63 hp electric motor on the front wheels. Sakura has a range of 112 km based on WLTC testing and is sold from 2,448,600 yen or around 15,415 US dollars.

Throughout 2025, Nissan Sakura was recorded to have sold 14,093 units in Japan. Meanwhile, BYD continues to expand its global sales. Based on China EV DataTracker data, BYD recorded global sales of 411,072 vehicles in July 2026, up 20.5 percent compared to the same period last year.