BYD has announced plans to bring the Racco electric kei car to Sri Lanka and Macau, marking its first expansion beyond Japan. Orders are now being accepted in Macau, while the model is scheduled to launch in Sri Lanka on October 9. The Racco is currently built only with right-hand drive, and BYD says it is assessing demand in other markets while prioritizing countries that use that layout.
The Racco was developed for Japan’s kei-car regulations and is the first electric kei car reported to offer more than 300 km of WLTC driving range. BYD says it received over 1,000 orders in the first two weeks after launch, and more than 2,000 orders in total by the time the car had been on sale for two months.
The car measures 3,395 mm long, 1,475 mm wide and 1,800 mm tall, with a 2,520 mm wheelbase, four seats and 280 litres of luggage space. Its front-mounted motor produces 47 kW. Buyers can choose a 22.4-kWh or 35.84-kWh LFP battery, with WLTC ranges of 210 km and 320 km respectively. The starting price is US$13,600.
Vietnam and other left-hand-drive markets are not currently under consideration because BYD has no left-hand-drive Racco plan. In China, the model would also face low-priced small EVs such as the Changan Lumin and Wuling Mini EV; the article says the Racco’s expected higher price could make it less attractive there. Its Japanese rivals include the Nissan Sakura and Mitsubishi eK X EV.