Suzuki unveils first electric 'kei' passenger car | NHK WORLD

Suzuki unveils first electric 'kei' passenger car

Suzuki Motor has unveiled the prototype of its first passenger electric "kei car," amid growing interest in the sales potential of mini-sized EVs in Japan.

Suzuki says the e Sky has a range of 310 kilometers on a single charge, which is relatively long for a mini EV.

The automaker has not set a price for the model, but plans to start selling it in Japan as early as this fall.

Domestic rivals Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi already sell mini passenger EVs, and just last month, Chinese giant BYD entered the Japanese market, with a model developed exclusively for the country.

Suzuki has so far only released electric "kei cars" for commercial use, but an auto analyst at Nomura Securities, Kinoshita Toshihide, says there is a market for passenger models in the countryside.

He said: "Many people in rural areas use "kei cars," but the number of gas stations is decreasing. One of the attractive selling points of EVs is that drivers can charge them at home."

While minicars are popular in Japan, EVs accounted for just over 1 percent of "kei" passenger vehicles sold in the first half of this year.

The analyst says the key challenge is to keep prices down, as consumers expect minicars to be affordable.