BYD unveils Sealion 7 for Japan at Tokyo Auto Salon

Overview

BYD Auto Japan, the Japanese subsidiary of Shenzhen-headquartered new energy vehicle (NEV) maker BYD, exhibited at Tokyo Auto Salon 2025, which opened at Makuhari Messe in Chiba on January 10, 2025 and ran until January 12. On the opening day it gave the Japanese debut of the SEALION 7, a crossover SUV that will become the company's fourth passenger model in Japan. Introduction is planned for around spring 2025. The announcement was made at a press conference by Atsuki Tofukuji, President of BYD Auto Japan.

The company also presented the SEAL Edition Pale Green, a limited edition marking the SEAL's selection as one of the "10 Best" cars in the 2024–2025 Japan Car of the Year awards. In line with BYD's 30th anniversary, only 30 units are planned.

Background

BYD announced its entry into Japan's passenger car market on July 21, 2022, and launched its first model there, the ATTO 3 (known in China as the Yuan Plus), in January 2023. It followed with the compact DOLPHIN in September 2023 and the SEAL sedan in June 2024, gradually expanding its line-up. According to media reports, BYD sold 2,223 NEVs in Japan in 2024, an increase of 54% year on year.

The SEALION 7 (Sealion 07 EV in China) is the first model built on the e-Platform 3.0 Evo, which BYD introduced in China in May 2024. The model was launched for Europe in Frankfurt, Germany, in November 2024, and has since gone on sale in markets including Norway and Thailand.

BYD began as a battery maker and fits its in-house Blade Battery, a lithium iron phosphate design, to its main models. Before entering the passenger car market, it had already built a business in Japan supplying electric buses. Tokyo Auto Salon, held every January, brings together carmakers, parts suppliers and tuning companies and attracts large numbers of car enthusiasts.

Key Points

Main specifications of the all-wheel-drive (AWD) version shown at the event:

Item	Details
Dimensions	4,830 mm long, 1,925 mm wide, 1,620 mm high
Wheelbase	2,930 mm
Battery	Blade Battery (lithium iron phosphate), 82.5 kWh
Motor output	160 kW front + 230 kW rear
Japan introduction	Around spring 2025 (planned)

• Pricing and an exact release date had not been announced at the time; further details were to be disclosed later.
• The SEAL Edition Pale Green is limited to 30 units (20 rear-wheel drive, 10 all-wheel drive), with introductory campaign prices of 4.95 million yen (RWD) and 5.72 million yen (AWD).
• The stand also displayed the DOLPHIN, ATTO 3 and SEAL already on sale in Japan, along with a mock-up of the platform for new models.

The stand also featured a mock-up of the e-Platform 3.0 for new models. By reducing the space taken up by the powertrain and battery, the platform can underpin vehicles ranging from sports cars to minivans and allows a front luggage compartment. The SEALION 7 shown has a vehicle weight of 2,615 kg, 245/45R20 tyres, and maximum torque of 310 Nm at the front motor and 380 Nm at the rear.

The line-up suggests a step-by-step strategy in Japan: starting with a compact SUV, then a small hatchback and a sedan, and now a larger crossover SUV, gradually covering more market segments. Displaying every model on sale or planned for Japan in one place also points to an effort to present the brand comprehensively to Japanese consumers.

What It Means for Japan–Shenzhen Exchange

Tokyo Auto Salon is one of Japan's leading automotive events, centred on custom car culture. A Shenzhen-based carmaker choosing this venue to reveal a new model appears to be an effort to broaden its contact with Japanese consumers. Imported EVs still hold a limited share of Japan's passenger car market, but with BYD's sales there growing strongly year on year, attention is turning to how Chinese-brand EVs will be received by Japanese drivers.

Operating in Japan also requires cooperation with Japanese companies in areas such as dealer networks, after-sales service and charging infrastructure. As Shenzhen companies expand into Japan, new points of contact with Japanese businesses may emerge in sales, logistics and maintenance.

As the automotive industry electrifies, cooperation in related fields such as batteries, charging and software is becoming as important as the vehicles themselves. The experience Shenzhen companies build up in the Japanese market may also help companies in both regions better understand each other's strengths.

Outlook

The company plans to introduce the model around spring 2025, and details such as pricing and trim levels are still to be announced. How a four-model line-up will translate into sales in the Japanese market remains to be seen.

From the Association

New initiatives by Shenzhen companies in the Japanese market offer useful reference points for industrial exchange between the two regions. The Association will continue to follow such developments and to provide opportunities for companies and stakeholders from Shenzhen and Japan to connect.