Chinese automaker BYD is planning to introduce its first plug-in hybrid vehicle in Japan within the year, reported Reuters.
The company is looking to broaden its presence in the country by expanding its lineup to seven or eight models, including both battery electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids, by around 2027.
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The automaker is also set to launch its fourth battery-powered electric vehicle, the Sealion 7 crossover, in Japan from April 2025.
This move is part of BYD’s strategy to enhance its product offerings and dealer network in Japan.
Plug-in hybrids, which combine a battery with a traditional fuel engine, are designed to run on either power source.
The company reported increase in sales in the country, with over 2,200 vehicles sold last year, marking a more than 50% increase from nearly 1,500 units in 2023.
BYD Auto Japan president Atsuki Tofukuji was earlier cited by Reuters as saying that company is looking to launch plug-in hybrid vehicles to Japan.
Earlier this month, Indonesia Investment Minister Rosan Roeslani was cited by sources that BYD Auto plans to begin vehicle production at a new plant in Indonesia by early 2026.
Since entering the Indonesian market last June, the company has sold 11,220 vehicles, all imported from China.
BYD has acquired a 126ha plot in the Subang Smartpolitan industrial estate in West Java to facilitate this growth.
The firm is reportedly planning to invest IDR11.7trn ($721m) to set up a facility with a production capacity of 150,000 vehicles per year.
