Suzuki unveils 'e-Sky,' a compact electric vehicle using BYD batteries… the cheapest in Japan

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Suzuki has unveiled its first passenger Kei-car EV, the "e-Sky," developed utilizing battery technology from China's BYD, and has entered full preparation for sales in the Japanese market. The base price of the e-Sky is 2.12 million yen (approximately 17.99 million won), recording the lowest price among Kei-car EVs launched in Japan.

Suzuki has led the Japanese Kei-car market by selling 556,632 gasoline-powered Kei-cars last year in 2025, but this marks its first entry into the passenger pure electric vehicle market. Built on a newly developed dedicated EV platform, the e-Sky is equipped with Suzuki's self-developed "e-Axle" drive system and a 26kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery supplied by BYD.

The vehicle dimensions are 3,395mm in length, 1,475mm in width, 1,625mm in height, and a wheelbase of 2,460mm, with a weight of 1,030kg. The driving range on a single charge reaches 310km based on WLTP standards. Compared to the similar model, the BYD Racco, it secures high energy efficiency through a lighter vehicle body and optimized systems.

Suzuki will supply the e-Sky in three total trims. For the entry-level model targeting corporate customers, strict cost reduction measures were implemented, including excluding fast-charging functionality via made-to-order specifications. The monthly sales target is 1,000 units across the three trims combined. When applying the Japanese government subsidy of 568,000 yen (approximately $3,600), the actual purchase price drops to 1.55 million yen (approximately 13.15 million won). This is cheaper than competing models eligible for the subsidy, such as the BYD Racco (1.99 million yen) and the Nissan Sakura (1.86 million yen). Even without the subsidy, it is priced 20,000 yen lower than the BYD Racco, establishing itself as the lowest-priced Kei-car EV in Japan.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original