BYD is already known for its smaller, low-cost electric cars like the Seagull, which you can snag for under $10,000 in China. Now, China’s EV leader is looking to go even smaller. BYD plans to launch a new mini EV, or kei car, that could pose “a huge threat” to Japanese automakers as a cheaper alternative.

BYD’s new mini EV will launch in Japan in 2026

China’s EV leader is already starting to crack Japan’s auto market, where foreign automakers have struggled for years.

BYD sold 2,223 EVs in Japan in 2024, accounting for 4% of overall electric car sales. Meanwhile, two mini EVs, the Nissan Sakura and Mitsubishi’s eK X, represented over 40% of the country’s electric car sales last year.

Mini, or kei cars, are among the most popular options in Japan. They are lower-priced, easy to maneuver around city streets, and functional enough for everyday use.

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BYD wants its piece of the booming market. The company announced plans to enter Japan’s mini EV segment next year, and it’s already stoking fear among domestic automakers.

“Young people do not have a negative view of BYD. It would be a huge threat if the company launches cheap models in Japan,” a Suzuki dealer said (via Nikkei). Japanese automakers like Suzuki, Subaru, and Nissan have relied on kei cars for domestic growth.

Last year, they represented around 40% of new vehicle sales in Japan, with around 1.55 million units sold. The Honda N-Box, which was the best-selling kei car in Japan for the third straight year, is 3,395 mm long, 1,475 mm wide, and 1,790 mm tall.

To give you an idea, BYD’s smallest EV, the Seagull, is 3,780 mm long, 1,715 mm wide, and 1,540 mm tall. Last month, it was BYD’s top-selling EV, with over 55,000 models sold.

BYD will likely have an advantage in terms of costs. It already builds ultra-affordable electric cars powered by the BYD Blade batteries, which are also used by Tesla, Toyota, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, and several others.

The company will begin recruiting talent with “extensive experience” in the light vehicle business. As it looks to grow its business in Japan, BYD opened a new website this month for applications.

BYD’s new mini EV is expected to start at around 2.6 million yen, or roughly $18,000. The Nissan Sakura, Japan’s top-selling EV last year, starts at about the same amount (2.59 million yen).

Its electric SUV, the Atto 3, caused a stir last year during a seminar on battery tech held by the Central Japan Economic and Trade Bureau. A few attendees even asked, “How can it be produced at such a low cost?”

The Atto 3 starts at 4.18 million yen in Japan, or around $29,000, undercutting most in the segment. Since launching the electric SUV in 2023, BYD has introduced several of its top sellers, including the Dolphin and Seal. Last month, BYD launched its new midsize smart electric SUV, the Sealion 7, starting at 4.95 million yen ($34,500)

I recently had the opportunity to test out the new Vortex plug adapter from Lectron, which enabled me and my CCS-equipped Rivian to access the Tesla Supercharger network. In my opinion, a NACS to CCS adapter is a vital tool for any BEV owner, and this one from Lectron is simple and effective to utilize.

While EV automakers transition to the North American Charging Standard (NACS) championed by Tesla, there remains a massive amount of current and upcoming models that utilize the now lame duck CCS plug for past charging.

While CCS-equipped EVs have a growing number of available public fast chargers at their disposal (depending on where they live, of course), such technology disallows access to the Tesla Supercharger network – the largest and arguably most dependable in the US.

While many automakers transition to NACS, they are providing new customers with Tesla to CCS adapters. But what about the rest of us? I drive a Rivian R1S and mostly charge at home, plus I have a Rivian Adventure Network hub about 20 miles away.

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However, Tesla Superchargers are much closer and more abundant, especially on road trips, hence the desire for a charger adapter to enable access to my CCS-equipped SUV.

That’s where Lectron comes in.

To aid in my daily charging practices, Lectron sent me its Vortex CCS adapter plug to test out at my local Tesla Supercharger. My thoughts are below.

Lectron is a charging technology specialist that provides Level 1 and Level 2 EV chargers and a slew of adapters for Tesla to CCS, and vice versa. After leasing my Rivian R1S a couple of months ago, I was set on buying a NACS to CCS adapter from the automaker’s Gear Shop.

Before I could do so, Lectron offered a sample of its new Vortex plug, so I jumped at the opportunity to test it. As you can see from my images above, the Vortex plug is a quick and straightforward unboxing. It’s essentially just the adapter and some literature, so it’s plug and play all the way.

This adapter, designed for CCS BEVs, is compatible with all Tesla DC Superchargers (V3 and V4). It is rated for up to 500 amps and 1,000 volts, so if you find a super fast Tesla plug and your EV can support 350 kW fast charging, you can take full advantage of super quick charge rates.

Quite literally, after filming the unboxing (see my video review below), I drove to my nearest Tesla Supercharger to test this adapter plug out for myself and it could not have been easier.

The charging process is exactly the same as all sessions. In this instance, the Tesla app is required alongside a credit card to pay for the charging session, but that’s an easy process as well. I simply pulled into an open spot, chose my available charger in the Tesla app and exited the R1S to plug in.

To begin charging, I plugged the Tesla NACS plug into the Vortex adapter, then into the CCS port of my Rivian. It’s as simple as that. My EV has Plug & Charge capabilities, so the charging session initiated on its own as soon as everything was connected. Zero hiccups.

When I plugged in, my battery was already pretty full (again, I couldn’t wait to test it), so I couldn’t speak to the top charge rates at this particular location. Additionally, the LFP cells in my Standard R1S can only handle up to 200 kW, but other BEVs, like the Hyundai IONIQ 5, for instance, should be able to charge much faster.

The rate always depends on your vehicle architecture and the specific charging pile you’re on. Still, the Vortex adapter from Lectron will enable your CCS EV to achieve the highest charge speeds at a Tesla charger without compromise.

You can shop around, too, to find the best deal. That said, the Vortex is currently on sale for $185, marked down from $250, so now’s an excellent time to buy. It’s important to note that the Lectron Vortex is currently only compatible with specific BEV models, including Rivian, with access soon coming to Audi, BMW, Honda, Jaguar-Land Rover, Kia, Porsche, Subaru, Toyota, and Volkswagen.

It is incompatible with Mazda, MINI, Stellantis, or Chrysler models. That’s understandable, haha.

Check out my full video review of the Vortex plug in action in my video below.

Purchase a Lectron Vortex adapter here

Lucid’s (LCID) first electric SUV is going global. With output ramping up, Lucid is gearing up for more growth in 2025. The second batch of Lucid Gravity models is now ready to ship out to Saudi Arabia as it expands its overseas footprint.

Lucid preps another Gravity shipment for Saudi Arabia

Lucid delivered 3,109 vehicles in Q1 2025, its fifth straight quarter of record deliveries. This was despite “limited deliveries in Saudi Arabia” due to a system change that has since been resolved.

Production is also picking up, with 2,213 units made at its Arizona manufacturing plant. Lucid said it had another 600 vehicles in transit to Saudi Arabia, which will be included in Q2 production numbers.

Saudi Arabia is a key overseas hub for Lucid. Last year, Lucid opened its first international manufacturing plant (AMP-2) in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In the initial phase, the company ships vehicles from its Casa Grande, Arizona, plant for final assembly at the new AMP-2 facility.

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Lucid plans to eventually fully assemble vehicles at the plant, which will add an additional annual capacity of 150,000 cars.

According to Adrian Price, Lucid’s senior vice president, the second batch of Gravity models is ready to ship to Saudi Arabia.

Price posted on LinkedIn, saying, “Look at these beauties! Our second shipment of Lucid Gravity SUVs is ready to depart our factory in Arizona for Saudi Arabia!”

After reporting first-quarter earnings on Tuesday, Lucid reaffirmed its plans to produce 20,000 vehicles this year, more than double the roughly 9,000 units it made in 2024.

At its current pace, Lucid is on track to deliver around 12,500 vehicles this year, topping the roughly 10,200 it delivered in 2024.

Lucid ended the first quarter with about $5.76 billion in liquidity, which it said is enough to fund it through the second half of 2026, when it plans to launch its midsize vehicle. The company confirmed plans to launch production of its midsize platform in late 2026.

Marc Winterhoff, Interim CEO, said on the company’s earnings call that although he loves the Gravity, he thinks “the midsize platform is going to be an even bigger game change.”

The first two vehicles based on the platform are expected to be an electric sedan and SUV. Starting at around $50,000, Lucid’s midsize vehicles are expected to rival the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y. Former CEO Peter Rawlinson said the midsize platform will be “finally when we compete directly with Tesla.”

Lucid’s new Gravity electric SUV is available to order. The Grand Touring model starts at $94,900 and has up to 450 miles of range. A Touring trim will launch later this year, with prices starting at $79,900.