Tesla price cut fuels doubling of foreign EV sales in Japan

Japan doubled registrations of imported electric vehicles, in a shift away from hybrid vehicles, partially driven by heavy discounts by Tesla on select models. — REUTERS

New registrations of imported electric vehicles in Japan more than doubled in 2021, an encouraging sign for the likes of Tesla Inc. in what has been a tough market for foreign EV-makers.

Registrations for imported EVs totaled 8,610 last year, up from 3,238 in 2020, Japan Automobile Imported Association said Tuesday. EVs accounted for 3.3% of foreign car registrations in Japan, compared with 1.3% the previous year.