[Digital Today reporter Jinju Hong] EMTA, a new electric vehicle brand involving Chinese automaker Chery Automobile and Japanese distribution and maintenance company Autobacs Seven, is targeting Japan's low-priced kei car market.

Electrek reported on May 27 that EMT, a joint venture set up by five Chinese and Japanese companies, has launched the new EV brand EMTA and plans to release its first electric kei car in Japan in 2027.

Japan's kei car market has so far remained centred on internal combustion engines. Kei cars account for 1 in 3 new vehicle sales in Japan, but gasoline models such as Honda's N-Box still hold the lead. With BYD recently unveiling its electric kei car Racco and EMTA also declaring its entry, some assessments say a full-scale electrification race has begun in Japan's kei car market.

EMTA explained that its brand name is an abbreviation of "Easy, Made To All". The company said its design takes into account both Japan's narrow roads and range anxiety on long-distance travel. He Xiaoqing (허샤오칭), EMT's chief executive, said it will launch its first vehicle in 2027 and expand the lineup to 4 models by 2029.

EMTA said its key point of differentiation is combining China's EV technology with an understanding of the Japanese market. The company described this as a concept called "Daily Magic" and said it will provide a user experience differentiated from existing kei cars. It said it will support over-the-air software updates based on its software-defined vehicle structure, "Magic SDV", enabling continuous improvements in vehicle functions and performance.

A "Magic Sync" function linking the vehicle and a smartphone is also set to be included. EMT said it has applied the latest e-axle technology to a dedicated platform for electric kei cars and has secured quietness, acceleration performance, real-world driving range and fast-charging performance. It did not disclose detailed specifications such as battery capacity or driving range per charge.

Advanced driver assistance systems are also a key selling point. EMT introduced "Magic Drive" as an end-to-end Level 2 assisted driving system and said it aims for the highest level in Japan's kei car market. It also stressed that it has separately developed an EV-only body structure tailored to Japan's kei car standards.

The industry is focusing on the fact that Japan's kei car market is still in the early stages of electrification. Some analysis says the market landscape could change quickly if price-competitive electric kei cars emerge in earnest. With Chinese EV makers such as BYD and EMTA moving one after another to target the Japanese market, attention is also turning to the response strategies of Japanese automakers.

EMTA presented a direction of setting its first vehicle's price at a level similar to existing gasoline kei cars, but it has not yet disclosed the actual selling price or detailed specifications. Still, given the kei car market's characteristics in which Japanese consumers are sensitive to prices and maintenance costs, price competitiveness is expected to be a key variable for market expansion.