TOKYO (Reuters) – China’s BYD could start selling its first plug-in hybrid vehicle in Japan this year, the company said on Friday, as it aims to expand its lineup in the country to seven or eight models over the next two years or so.
The Shenzhen-based automaker also said it will start selling its fourth electric vehicle purely powered by batteries – the Sealion 7 crossover – in Japan from April as it seeks to expand its offerings and dealer network in the country.
Plug-in hybrid vehicles combine a battery with a traditional fuel-powered engine and can drive on either power source.
BYD is a big player in this powertrain technology in China. It said it will announce details about the plug-in hybrid that it plans to bring to Japan sometime this year.
The exact date at which the model will go on sale depends on how quickly it can obtain necessary certification, as it enlarges its foothold in Japan.
The seven or eight models the company aims to have on offer in Japan by around 2027 will consist of both battery EVs and plug-in hybrids, it said.
Its brand sold just over 2,200 vehicles in Japan last year, up by more than 50% from nearly 1,500 units in 2023.
BYD Auto Japan president Atsuki Tofukuji had already told Reuters in June last year it would be good if the automaker could bring plug-in hybrid vehicles to Japan.
(Reporting by Daniel Leussink; Editing by Michael Perry)
