- BYD registered a record 416 vehicles in Japan in May, with over 240 of them being the newly launched Sealion 7 electric SUV.
- The launch of the Sealion 7 in April increased consumer awareness of the BYD brand and boosted visits to dealerships.
BYD (HKG: 1211, OTCMKTS: BYDDY) has made its debut in the top 10 list of best-selling imported car brands in Japan, marking a milestone for the Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer in a key global market.
The company registered 416 vehicles in Japan in May, surpassing the previous record of 353 units set in March 2024, according to a statement released by BYD Japan today.
In the Japan Automobile Importers Association ranking of imported car brands by registration volume, BYD made its debut in the top 10, the statement noted.
The newly launched Sealion 7 electric SUV (sport utility vehicle) played a major role, with over 240 units registered in May, bringing its cumulative registration total since its April launch to about 350 units, according to the statement.
The Sealion 7 electric SUV is known as the Sealion 07 EV in China.
BYD announced its entry into the Japanese passenger vehicle market in July 2022 and began selling vehicles there in January 2023, with the Atto 3 compact electric SUV (sport utility vehicle) as its first model there.
The Atto 3 is known as the BYD Yuan Plus in China and is the NEV maker’s first model designed for the global market.
In September 2023, BYD launched its second model in Japan — the Dolphin compact electric vehicle.
In June 2024, BYD launched the Seal electric sedan in Japan, its third passenger vehicle model available there.
In April this year, BYD began selling the Sealion 7 in Japan.
The record-breaking registration volume in May was attributed to the launch effect of the BYD Sealion 7 and the resulting brand enhancement, according to BYD Japan.
The model has increased consumer awareness of the BYD brand and boosted customer visits to dealerships, the company said.
BYD will continue to expand its product lineup in Japan, planning to add plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) models by the end of the year and launch lightweight battery electric vehicle (BEV) models in the second half of 2026, it said.
BYD’s prices in overseas markets are relatively stable, which is beneficial to the company’s profitability, said Wang Chuanfu.
