BYD is 1st Chinese carmaker to show models at Japan Mobility Show

TOKYO — Electric vehicle giant BYD will become the first Chinese carmaker to exhibit models in the history of Japan's premier motor show, now rebranded as the Japan Mobility Show.

Organizers confirmed BYD's attendance Wednesday during an online briefing as it disclosed details about the upcoming event.

The Chinese EV maker is one of only three foreign carmakers that will showcase their models at the Japan Mobility Show, along with German brands BMW and Mercedes-Benz, according to the exhibitor list by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.

In January, BYD made inroads into Japan's slow-growing EV market, releasing the Atto 3 compact crossover. The company sold 611 EVs in the country in the January-to-July period, according to data from the Japan Automobile Importers Association.

BYD will reportedly release two other EV models in Japan, the Dolphine hatchback and Seal sedan, by the end of 2023. It is unclear whether it will put all three EV models on display at the show slated to open in late October. BYD Auto Japan did not respond to a request for comment.

The number of international car brands decreased from the four in the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show when Mercedes-Benz, Smart, Renault and Alpine joined the ranks of exhibitors.

As motor shows worldwide are declining in popularity and presence, Jun Nagata, head of the show's organizing committee at the manufacturers association, told reporters in May that "only national carmakers now take part in their country's motor show."

Despite such a downtrend, the group is seeking to turn this all-things-mobility event into a global platform.

"We hope to make Japan Mobility Show as a global event, not just as a domestic one," said Masami Tanaka, an association official in charge of next-generation mobility.

As of Wednesday, there were nearly 20 foreign companies taking part, Tanaka said, many of whom are parts makers such as Valeo, Bosch and Hyundai Mobis.

Increasing presence among participating suppliers are Chinese companies; four parts makers, including Zhejiang Sanhua Automotive Components Co., are on the list. This is due in part to the group's efforts to reach out to foreign companies and to raise the profile of the Japan Mobility Show globally, the association said.

Meanwhile, it also announced that more than 400 companies, including startups, would participate in the rechristened event, a record high and a jump from the 192 in the 2019 show. About 160 companies will have their booths at the Tokyo waterfront venue, Tanaka said. Of the participating companies, 30 to 40 percent are from the automotive sector and the remaining 60 percent come from other industries such as IT, finance, energy, tourism and education.

What's more, the Japan Mobility Show will also present 30 live music and standup comedy acts at the H2 Energy Festival, an indoor entertainment stage entirely powered by hydrogen — a feature similar to those at the CES and the South by Southwest music and arts festivals.

Further details will be unveiled in September, the association said. Official tickets for the Japan Mobility Show went on sale this week.

Nagata, who also serves as chief communications officer at Toyota Motor Corp., said organizers are determined to "underpin Japan's future with automobile and mobility technologies," a sentiment echoed by the association Chairman Akio Toyoda, also the chairman of Toyota.