Not Tesla, This Tiny Electric Car is Most Popular in Japan

Nissan Sakura. (Doc. Nissan Global)

JAKARTA - In the electric vehicle (EV) market, Tesla can dominate the American and European markets through its various models. However, this does not mean that the US manufacturer can dominate this segment throughout the world, one of which is Japan.

In the Land of the Rising Sun, the most popular EVs come from kei cars which have small dimensions at a more affordable price. Even though EVs from Japan are currently quite varied, namely the Nissan Leaf and Ariya, Toyota bZ4X, Mazda MX-30, Subaru Solterra and Lexus RZ.

Reporting from Bloomberg, Tuesday, October 24, mini-sized electric cars have more fans in Japan. Models such as the Nissan Sakura and Mitsubishi eK Both have an attractive price of 2 million yen or the equivalent of IDR 211.8 million.

Mitsubishi eK X. (Doc. Mitsubishi Motors)

Of course, this price is cheaper than one of the cheapest EVs in Europe currently, the newest Citroen e-C3 which costs 23,300 euros or around IDR 386.7 million. In fact, both Sakura and eK

However, this car does not have its drawbacks. The Nissan Sakura, for example, has a compact size with a length of 3,395 mm and has a 63 hp electric motor with the help of a 20 kWh electric battery which is capable of providing a range of 180 km, which is a very short distance for an EV.

But still, micro cars have proven to have a high level of popularity in Japan. Due to its mini size, this vehicle is perfect for passing through narrow roads in densely populated areas of the country.

So far, both Sakura and eK X are at the top of electric car sales in Japan by successfully recording sales of up to 35,000 units throughout 2023. The success of this segment means that rivals such as Honda, Suzuki, Toyota and Daihatsu are certain to also have electric kei cars in 2024.