Amid the rising popularity of electric vehicles, which are often deemed expensive, startup KG Motors has created a new wave in Japan with its tiny electric car, the Mibot.
The KG Motor Mibot is priced at just 1 million yen (approximately 180 million VND), less than half the price of the Nissan Sakura, Japan’s current best-selling electric car.
The Mibot is a single-seater with a length of 2,490 mm, similar to a golf cart. Its compact design and lightweight make it easy to maneuver in crowded and narrow streets, a common feature in many Japanese cities.
Despite its modest appearance, the Mibot meets the minimum standards for roadworthiness. It can reach a top speed of 60 km/h, suitable for short urban trips.
The vehicle is equipped with a 7.68 kWh battery that can be fully charged in about 5 hours using a standard AC 100V power source, compatible with most domestic outlets in Japan. It offers a maximum range of 100 km on a single charge, which is lower than the average for electric vehicles today, but KG Motors believes this is sufficient for daily city commutes.
According to plans, KG Motors will start accepting pre-orders for the Mibot from autumn 2024. In the first month of its introduction, they received over 1,000 registrations, and by May 2025, the number of orders reached 2,250, exceeding half of their production target of 3,300 cars before March 2027.
Notably, Toyota sold only about 2,000 electric vehicles in Japan in 2024, indicating the significant appeal of the Mibot in the mini electric car segment.
Mr. Kusunoki, CEO and founder of KG Motors, stated that production of the Mibot will commence in October 2025, with the first 300 vehicles delivered to domestic customers before March 2026. The remaining 3,000 cars will be distributed internationally.
Mr. Kusunoki acknowledged that the company would incur a loss on the first batch but expressed confidence in making a profit from the second production run. Looking ahead, KG Motors aims to increase its production scale to 10,000 vehicles per year, marking a strategic move towards ultra-small, low-cost personal electric cars.
With electric car prices still high and large-capacity batteries not always necessary, the Mibot presents a new direction: focusing on minimalism, cost-effectiveness, and practicality. In a market like Japan, where kei cars (lightweight vehicles) account for over 50% of total registered vehicles, the Mibot has a significant opportunity to become a new phenomenon.
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