BYD sales almost doubled in Japan in March 2026 as the world’s biggest NEV maker bets on foreign sales amid fierce domestic competition. BYD previously set a goal to sell 10,000 electric cars annually in Japan after its deliveries reached 3,731 units in 2025.
According to the latest registration data of imported cars reported by the Japan Automobile Importers Association (JAIA), BYD registered 625 vehicles in Japan in March 2026, up 91.1% Year-Over-Year. The Chinese brand handed over 327 new energy vehicles in March 2025, based on last year’s data. CarNewsChina calculated that the brand’s deliveries in Japan in Q1 2026 reached 1,142 cars (BEV+PHEV), which represents a rise of over 100%.
Despite noticeable growth, partly caused by a low base effect, BYD is still a minor player in the Japanese car market. It is worth noting that 407,564 cars were sold in Japan in March 2026, with a share of new energy cars reaching 4.15%. 16,924 battery electric cars and plug-in hybrids were sold in Japan last month, with BYD holding just 3.7% the market share.
It is worth noting that BYD also faces challenges from the recent adjustment of the NEV subsidy policy in Japan. The subsidy per vehicle plummeted from 350,000 – 400,000 yen (2,200 – 2,520 USD) to 150,000 (945 USD). So, it became difficult for the Shenzhen-based automaker to increase sales in Japan.
The statistics become more optimistic once we look at the registrations of imported new energy cars in Japan, provided by JAIA. A total of 6,085 imported BEVs and PHEVs were registered in Japan in March 2026. In this case, BYD’s market share rises to 10.3%. However, the Chinese NEV maker still has a lot of room for growth as it aims to sell 10,000 cars a year here, despite any difficulties.
Export turned into the top priority for BYD as it suffers from domestic competition and the phasing out of subsidies in China. According to China EV DataTracker, BYD sold 688,939 cars globally. Interestingly, its domestic deliveries were 303,150 units. It means that overseas sales accounted for over 50% of the brand’s total sales. For comparison, BYD sold 990,711 cars globally in Q1 2025 with 643,024 units handed over to clients in China. This is why every overseas market is quite important for BYD.
We will remind you that BYD currently sells five models in Japan. The lineup includes four electric cars (the Sealion 7, the Atto 3, the Dolphin, and the Seal), and a single plug-in hybrid model (the Sealion 6). This summer, BYD expects to solidify its market performance in Japan by launching the Racco electric city car. It is expected to cost around 2,5 million yen (15,730 USD).