Japanese Startup KG Motors Sells 2,250 Units of $7,000 Single-Seat EV by 2027

Japanese startup KG Motors is disrupting Japan's electric vehicle market with its budget-friendly, single-seat electric car, the mibot mini EV, priced at $7,000—about half the cost of Japan's best-selling EV, the Nissan Sakura. Designed specifically for Japan's narrow urban streets, the mibot offers a range of 100 kilometers, a top speed of 60 km/h, and charges fully in five hours using a standard household outlet. The compact, golf cart-sized vehicle has garnered significant interest, with over 3,300 pre-orders expected to be fulfilled by March 2027, potentially outselling Toyota's EV sales in Japan for 2024. KG Motors founder Kazunari Kusunoki emphasizes that the car challenges the prevailing notion that bigger is better, aiming to provide an efficient, low-maintenance transportation alternative for city commuting. Despite Japan's traditionally slow transition to electric vehicles—where hybrids dominate new car sales and EV adoption lags behind global averages—the mibot's success signals a growing demand for practical, affordable urban EVs. This trend reflects a broader tension in the Japanese automotive industry, where major players like Toyota maintain a multi-pathway approach to green technology rather than an exclusive focus on all-electric vehicles.