When BYD launched the Racco in Japan, it became the first non-Japanese carmaker to build a purpose-built kei car for the market. Now, just months later, the little electric vehicle (EV) is already heading overseas, with Sri Lanka as its first export destination.
Kei cars are very specific to the Japanese market. In the land of the rising sun, they benefit from additional tax breaks from the government, fit really well into tight Japanese streets, and bypass strict personal parking regulations. But because of their unique specificity, they’re not really attractive elsewhere. They would typically only prove useful in Japan, where Japanese brands already dominate.
The BYD Racco is built squarely within those rules. Its size is set by strict kei car regulations, and its front-mounted motor is capped at 64 hp and 160 Nm . Range is where BYD found room to stand out. The 35.84 kWh Blade battery delivers up to 320 km (WLTP), the longest in the segment.
The BYD Racco also well equipped for its size, with a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, power sliding doors and a surround-view camera.
In Sri Lanka, the BYD Racco starts from an introductory LKR 11,450,000 (about RM141,000), roughly 2.5 times its Japanese price, due to heavy import taxes, government levies and historical foreign exchange restrictions. Even so, it undercuts the Toyota Yaris Cross, which starts from LKR 19,950,000 (about RM246,000).
BYD says Macau will be the next market to receive the Racco, with other right-hand-drive (RHD) markets in Asia under consideration. That raises the question of whether Malaysia is on BYD’s radar.
Interestingly, there is a demand for such a car in Malaysia. Kei cars are already imported here, even though the final prices are far higher than those of comparable local cars. For many buyers, they’re more than basic transport, with a dedicated enthusiast following that treats them almost as a hobby.
It’s not going to be easy, though, because the Racco would also face stiff competition from Proton. The eMAS 5 (stylised as e.MAS 5) dominates Malaysia’s EV market , reportedly with over 80% share, and starts from RM56,800. Because it isn’t bound by kei size limits, it’s also a much larger car than the Racco.
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