China EV giant BYD debuts at auto show ahead of Japan market entry

Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD Co. on Friday made its debut at an auto show near Tokyo ahead of releasing its first passenger car at the end of the month.

Showcased at the Tokyo Auto Salon in Chiba, east of Tokyo, the Atto 3 sport utility vehicle will be available for sale from Jan. 31, and is the first of three passenger cars BYD plans to introduce to the Japanese market by the end of March 2024. The other two EVs are a sedan and a compact car.

"As the (Atto 3) is about to go on sale, we wanted to give people the opportunity to touch it and feel closer to BYD," said a public relations spokesperson.

The three-day event through Sunday features 341 automakers and auto parts manufacturers, with some 800 vehicles including concept and special edition cars on display.

Nissan Motor Co. unveiled an improved model of its GT-R sports car scheduled to be released later this year, as well a Roox mini vehicle equipped with an electronic piano in its rear.

Speaking at a public event, Nissan Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta said that the GT-R series made "full use" of the technologies at the firm's disposal.

© Kyodo News