Battle of the Boxes: Tokyo's Compact EV Showdown

30 Oct 2025

Battle of the Boxes: Tokyo's Compact EV Showdown

The three boxy kei-car competitors at 2025 Tokyo Auto Show
The three 'boxy' kei-car competitors at 2025 Tokyo Auto Show

By EVWorld.com Si Editorial Team

At the 2025 Tokyo Auto Show, three electric vehicles stole the spotlight - not with speed or luxury, but with unapologetic boxiness. The BYD Racco, Nissan Sakura, and Honda Super-One each embrace Japan's kei car tradition, proving that small can be smart, stylish, and strategically disruptive.

BYD Racco: China's Urban Challenger

BYD's Racco - named after the Japanese word for sea otter - is a purpose-built kei-class EV aimed squarely at Japan's urban market. With dual sliding doors, front-wheel drive, and a lithium iron phosphate battery, it's offered in short- and long-range variants starting around 2.6 million yen (USD 17,000). BYD's global ambitions make the Racco the most likely candidate for export, especially to Southeast Asia and Europe - if it can meet local safety and performance standards.

Nissan Sakura: The Domestic Benchmark

Nissan's Sakura is already a fixture in Japan, blending clean design with quiet efficiency. Built to kei car specs, it's unlikely to reach foreign markets without major redesign. Still, its success at home sets the bar for urban EVs and informs Nissan's broader electrification strategy.

Honda Super-One: Retro-Futurist Wildcard

Honda's Super-One channels the spirit of the original N-One with a futuristic twist. Still in concept phase, it features a high-roof layout, modular seating, and playful digital accents. While export plans remain unclear, its design language could influence Honda's next-gen global EVs.

Could These Boxes Cross the Pacific?

In the U.S., there's a niche market for compact EVs - especially in dense cities. But kei-class vehicles face steep hurdles: crash safety compliance, higher-speed capability, fast-charging standards, and upgraded infotainment. BYD is best positioned to adapt, while Nissan and Honda may repackage their ideas into larger, U.S.-ready platforms.

Urban EVs, Reimagined

All three models reflect a shift in EV design - away from aerodynamic sameness and toward character-driven utility. In a market where one-third of cars are kei-class, the "Battle of the Boxes" isn't just aesthetic. It's strategic. And it may soon go global.