The world's largest EV maker is making a big statement overseas. In a historic win, BYD has officially outsold Toyota in EV sales itself home turf for the first time last year.
BYD EV sales in Japan passed to Toyota in 2024
After ousting the popular automakers in China with their low-cost electric cars, BYD is making a strong push into overseas markets.
BYD launched its first electric vehicle (EV) in Japan in early 2023, the Atto 3. Starting at around $30,000, this SUV competes with popular domestic vehicles such as the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. It also rivals other EVs in the market, such as the Toyota bZ4X and Nissan Ariya.
In its first full year of sales, BYD has already outsold Toyota in EV sales in Japan. This achievement is even more impressive as Toyota has historically dominated the domestic market.
According to the Japan Automobile Dealer Association (by CarNewsChina), BYD sold 2,223 EVs in 2024. In comparison, Toyota sold only 2,038 electric cars in its home market last year.
BYD's EV sales are up 54% compared to 2023, while Toyota's is down 30% year-on-year (YOY). Since its launch in 2023, BYD has launched several best-selling models, including the Dolphin hatchback and Seal sedan.
Starting at 2.99 million yen ($19,000), the Dolphin competes with best-selling domestic cars such as the Toyota Prius and Nissan LEAF.
After launching the Seal last June, widely seen as its answer to the Tesla Model 3, BYD's electric sedan was already Japan's best-selling imported EV in August. BYD's Seal starts at 5.28 million yen, or about $33,500.
BYD is ramping up the pressure in 2025 with plans to launch the Sealion 07 in Japan, its new mid-size electric SUV.
Japan's total EV sales fell 33% to just under 60,000 in 2024, its first YOY decline in four years. Nissan led the market with a share of around 50% even though LEAF sales fell by around 50% (30,749) from 2023. Although Toyota bZ4X sales were up 10%, only 1,012 models were sold in 2024. Toyota's electric SUV starts at 0. ).
Electrek's Take
After losing significant market share in China, an important market for Japanese automakers, BYD is now taking their home market by storm.
Although still a small number, BYD's growing presence in Japan is impressive. Japan has been a challenging market for foreign brands to compete in. Aside from top automakers like Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and BWM, domestic brands have historically dominated car sales in Japan.
Toyota held more than a third of the market alone last year. After overtaking Nissan and Honda for the first time in global car sales last year, BYD is laying the groundwork for further growth in 2025.
The Chinese EV leader is expanding with new models to be launched in Europe, Southeast Asia, Central and South America, and more. Will BYD eventually top Toyota in global sales? As the industry shifts to EVs, BYD is gaining momentum while Toyota lags in key markets.
Source: CarNewsChina, JAMA
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