Suzuki Motor Corporation announced it will launch an ultracompact electric vehicle (EV) model in Japan on November 16, aiming to capture market share amid intensifying competition in the country’s mini EV segment. The new model, named the e SKY, offers an estimated cruising range of approximately 310 kilometers per charge and carries a starting price of 1.55 million yen after a government subsidy of 568,000 yen (around $3,600).

The company has set a monthly sales target of 1,000 units for the e SKY, positioning it as an affordable option designed to attract cost-conscious consumers. Suzuki President Toshihiro Suzuki emphasized the company’s extensive experience with minicars as a key factor in the model’s development, stating that the e SKY reflects a solution unique to Suzuki’s approach to the segment.

As one of Japan’s two largest producers of minicars, Suzuki is making a relatively late entry into the increasingly competitive EV market. July saw China’s BYD Co become the first foreign automaker to enter Japan’s mini EV sector with its Racco model, priced at about 2 million yen after subsidies. By the end of September, around 650 units of the BYD Racco had been sold, according to data from the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association.

Other competitors in the mini EV space include Nissan Motor Company’s Sakura, which is listed at roughly 1.87 million yen post-subsidy, and Honda Motor Company’s N-ONE e:, priced at approximately 2.12 million yen. Both models benefit from the same government incentives designed to promote electric vehicle adoption in Japan.

President Suzuki noted that the company did not feel compelled to be the first to market. Instead, Suzuki took a measured approach, observing developments from other manufacturers and carefully refining its concept of what a mini EV should offer before bringing the e SKY to market. This strategy reflects a deliberate effort to balance affordability, range, and performance to appeal to Japan’s growing base of EV consumers.