Japanese startup KG Motors is building a stylish, single-seat electric car for just $7,000, and has pre-sold 3,300 that it plans to deliver to customers by March 2027.
That’s more than the 2,000 EVs Toyota sold across Japan in all of 2024, according to Bloomberg. Called the “mibot,” KG’s car has a limited 62-mile range and a 37mph top speed.
Mibot EV (Credit: KG Motors)
“The mibot is a small mobility robot packed with surprises and fun in its small body,” KG Motors says on its website, as translated from Japanese. “It can navigate even narrow roads with ease, turning everyday short rides into special experiences.”
The tiny EV gets over-the-air tech updates, has air conditioning and a small trunk. It charges up in five hours on a standard 100V household outlet; no need for “special charging equipment.” At $7,000, the mibot is about half the price of Japan’s most popular EV, the Nissan Sakura.
The brand is packed with personality; blog posts about vehicle development feature titles like “A slightly nerdy story about door design.” In that one, designer Pokomichi discusses the challenges of designing a door that comfortably accommodates passengers, given the vehicle’s small size. They also imagined the mibot fitting into a “parking lot that is sized for light vehicles,” and the importance of sliding into a spot without the door crossing the lines when it’s open.
“Cars are simply too big,” says KG Motors founder and CEO Kazunari Kusunoki. “Seeing so many big cars travelling Japan’s narrow streets – that’s where this all began for me.”
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Mibot EV (Credit: KG Motors)
Japan has been slow to embrace EVs, but it has more hybrids than traditional gas-powered cars on the road. In 2023, hybrids made up 55% of new car sales there, followed by 36% traditional gas cars. EV adoption is at just 2% of new car sales, which is even lower than the US’s 8% and far below the 20% + in China and Europe.
Toyota’s former president spoke out against converting to an all-electric lineup in 2022. A supposedly EV-friendly leadership changeup in 2023 hasn’t gained much traction, although this month, Toyota launched new EVs. However, it still intends to invest in a variety of powertrains, including ramping up its plug-in hybrid sales in the US.
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“Toyota said EVs aren’t the only solution and, because it’s Toyota, Japanese people assume it must be true,” Kusunoki says. “A large number of people in Japan seem to believe EVs won’t become popular.”
Perhaps a cheap, small EV can carve out a unique place in the Japanese market. In the US, there are no similar options, and the market is full of huge SUVs.
The Fiat 500e is small and fun to drive, but it’s not cheap ($34,000 starting). Volkswagen is working on a $21,000 small EV for urban drivers, but it’s only launching it in Europe due to lower demand in the US. The Renault 5 E-Tech is another new, small EV launch aimed at accelerating electric adoption in Europe. In China, automotive powerhouse BYD offers several small, affordable models and is working on a new one, Electrek reports.
Credit: Mibot EV (Credit: KG Motors)
About Emily Forlini
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