Cherry to Target Japan's Kei EV Market by 2027 with Four-Model LINEup

*This content was translated by AI.

China's Cherry Automobile has declared its entry into the Japanese automotive market by 2027. The company announced the establishment of a joint venture, EMT, and the upcoming launch of the kei car Emta. This vehicle is expected to compete with BYD's strategic electric boxcar, Laco, which entered the Japanese market earlier. Emta will be equipped with batteries manufactured by Gotion. The company also added plans to expand its LINEup to a total of four models by the end of 2029.

Emta is a brand under Electric Mobility Technologies (EMT), headquartered in Singapore. It was established through joint investment by Cherry Automobile (27.27%), Jiangsu Yueda Automobile Group (27.27%), Autobacs Seven (18.18%), Gotion (18.18%), and Anest (9.09%). An Emta representative explained that while the brand prefers its name to be written in uppercase letters, it is not an acronym.

According to the official announcement, Cherry will be responsible for technology provision. Emta vehicles are set to adopt Cherry's platform, electric drive system, and autonomous driving technology. Yueda's Yanqing plant will handle Emta vehicle production. This plant has a history of producing Kia and HiPhi models. Although there were rumors that Cherry would acquire the plant, the project will actually proceed as an export-focused joint venture.

Gotion will supply batteries for Emta vehicles. Autobacs Seven will manage the sales network in Japan, while Anest will be responsible for quality support. Cherry stated that while it will participate as a shareholder in this project, it will not be involved in actual operations or management.

Emta's product concept and design will be led by a Japanese team comprising former Honda and Mazda personnel. Uchikoshi Susumu will serve as Chief Marketing Officer, and Xu Xiaoqing will serve as CEO. Emta plans to unveil its first model in Japan in 2027, followed by the launch of three additional models. If the business is successful, the company is also considering establishing a production plant in Japan after 2030.

Emta's first vehicle is a boxy K-car. Although its official name is yet to be determined, the vehicle door is marked with #01, making it likely to be called "Emta #01." The vehicle features a design similar to the five-door version of the Cherry QQ Ice Cream electric car, which was launched in China in 2021.

Emta #01 features angular headlights, black pillars, a minimalist bumper, and small side mirrors (which may be cameras). The vehicle dimensions are 3.4 meters in length and 1.48 meters in width. The brand emphasized that the vehicle has secured collision safety comparable to that of large cars. Detailed specifications, trims, and pricing for Emta #01 have not yet been disclosed.

Emta plans to introduce various vehicle types, including hatchbacks, SUVs, and minivans. Emta #01 is set to compete with BYD's Laco K-car in the Japanese market. The Laco K-car is reported to be priced at approximately 2.5 million yen (US$15,670). According to Chinese EV data tracker, in April 2026, BYD exported 135,098 units, while Cherry exported 177,573 units.

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*This content was translated by AI.