New EV brand in Japan

A group of industry companies, a major Chinese carmaker and supply firms have launched a new electric-car brand for the Japanese market. 

EMT Co, which is based in Yokohama, plans to introduce a compact kei-class EV in 2027 as its first foray into its domestic market. Its chief executive officer is He Xiaoqing, who was previously a vice-president at Chinese carmaker Chery.

Automotive supplies wholesaler Autobacs Seven and air-compressor manufacturer Anest Iwata, both from Japan, have established EMT along with Chery, a battery manufacturer and another partner.

Susumu Uchikoshi, chief marketing officer, says kei-class models account for more than one-third of new-car sales in the country, describing them as “the vehicles most widely used in daily life in Japan”.

The vehicle will be planned in Japan with the design outsourced to Chery. It will be manufactured at a factory in China separate from Chery’s.

EMT intends to incorporate the latest technologies depending on the model. For example, vehicle functions will be updatable wirelessly. On the sales side, EMT is in talks to use some Autobacs stores as retail bases. A concept render of an EV from new-car brand is pictured above.

The company hopes to launch three more EV models by 2029. It’s also considering production in Japan and expanding sales of the EMTA range beyond the Japanese market.

Competition in the kei EV market is intensifying as marques roll out models in rapid succession. China’s BYD will launch its Japan-orientated EV Racco this summer.

Nissan has added a lower-priced version of its kei EV Sakura, Suzuki plans to release one during the current fiscal year and Honda is set to introduce an electric version of its popular N-Box in 2028.