BYD officially enters the Japanese Kei car market with the Racco

BYD has just taken an important step forward in its global expansion strategy with the official unveiling at the Japan Mobility Show 2025 of its first Kei car. The Racco, the name chosen by the Chinese manufacturer for this new model, stands out not only for its compact dimensions, typical of this type of vehicle, but also for having been designed specifically for the Japanese market.

The Chinese manufacturer has no intention, at least for now, of selling this new vehicle in any country outside Japan, which makes clear that with this exclusive project BYD is keen to establish itself in the Japanese Kei car market as well.

The Racco falls into the tall wagon category, with a body somewhat taller than most Kei cars currently on sale in Japan. BYD thus aims to maximise the available interior space and ease of access to the vehicle. Like any other Kei car, however, it stands out for its genuinely tight dimensions, at just 3.4 metres long, 1.48 metres wide and 1.8 metres high. The Chinese manufacturer has also opted for sliding doors on this model to make access easier in narrow spaces.

BYD states that the name Racco, chosen for its first Kei car aimed at the Japanese market, was no coincidence, since this name refers in Japanese to the sea otter. The Chinese manufacturer has thus continued the tradition of choosing names of animals that live in ocean environments for the Ocean series.

A great design effort from the Chinese manufacturer

As for the Racco’s exterior appearance, as the images show, this model combines cubic shapes with rounded details that convey friendliness in the headlights, the tailgate, the door handles, the exterior mirrors and also the rear lights. The front is almost sealed, with only two upper and lower slots to optimise aerodynamics, and it is worth noting the absence of the central grille usual on this type of vehicle, making clear that it is a purely electric model.

The sides, meanwhile, feature four-spoke alloy wheels, while at the rear the light units extend from side to side, as is common on many Chinese models. There is also a fully illuminated BYD logo that adds a modern touch to the vehicle.

During its presentation at the Japan Mobility Show 2025, BYD highlighted that the Racco is the first model the brand has developed entirely for a foreign market, which required building more than a hundred prototypes to carry out all kinds of tests until reaching the final production version.

Key technical specifications and availability

As might be expected of an electric BYD model, the Racco will feature a Blade battery pack with LFP cells, available in two different capacities, with up to 20 kWh in the best case. This will allow it to cover up to 180 km under the WLTP homologation cycle. When recharging, this model supports a maximum charging power of 100 kW, which will make genuinely fast charging possible given the battery pack’s modest capacity. Another important detail to note: the integration of a heat pump to improve efficiency.

The BYD Racco is due to reach the Japanese market next summer, if all goes according to plan. It will be produced in China, which is entirely unusual for a Kei car.