Photo/Illutration BYD’s ATTO 3 is seen on the showroom floor at BYD Auto Tomei Yokohama, the manufacturer’s first dealership in Japan, in Yokohama’s Midori Ward on Jan. 31. (Hiroaki Kimura)

Chinese automaker BYD Co. debuted in Japan on Jan. 31 with its ATTO 3 electric SUV that went on sale at 20 locations across the country that offer information on products and test drives.

“Finally, we can offer new options in Japan’s automotive market,” said Atsuki Tofukuji, president of BYD Auto Japan, which handles sales in Japan. “I’m so excited.”

The world’s second-largest electric-vehicle maker will open its first dealership in Japan in Yokohama on Feb. 2.

Featuring a showroom, BYD Auto Tomei Yokohama will be jointly run with a local auto dealer near the Yokohama-Machida Interchange off the Tomei Expressway. A second outlet will open on Feb. 23 in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture.

BYD plans to set up more than 100 dealerships across Japan by the end of 2025. Tofukuji said he is already working on the details with 33 locations.

The Shenzhen-based manufacturer rolled out the ATTO 3 in China in February 2022, later expanding sales to the global market, including Australia and Thailand.

The automaker is also aiming to introduce two other vehicles to the Japanese market: a compact model called the Dolphin in the middle of 2023 and a sedan called the Seal in the latter half of 2023.

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