Hyundai Motor is making waves in Japan’s electric vehicle market with its newly launched INSTER, a compact EV marketed domestically in Korea as the Casper Electric. The automaker posted its second consecutive record-breaking month in July, with cumulative sales this year surging 1.5 times over the same period in 2024.
According to data released Monday by the Japan Automobile Importers Association (JAIA), Hyundai Mobility Japan sold 130 vehicles in July—nearly triple the 45 units sold a year earlier. The strong performance brought Hyundai’s total sales in Japan this year to 568 units, up 146.4% year-over-year.
That growth significantly outpaced Chinese EV giant BYD, which moved 227 vehicles in July—a modest 9.7% increase from the same month last year.
Hyundai credits the success to the April launch of the INSTER, a small EV designed to meet the demands of Japanese city drivers. The INSTER combines compact dimensions with a competitive price and long driving range—factors that have resonated with urban consumers.
The vehicle is priced at approximately $18,900, undercutting key rivals like the Nissan Leaf ($27,200) and BYD Dolphin ($24,200).
In addition to the product itself, Hyundai deployed a novel retail strategy in Japan by partnering with local e-commerce giant Rakuten to sell the INSTER online—a first for an automaker in the country. The collaboration generated more than 60,000 livestream views and 400 pre-orders.
Hyundai says it aims to sell more than 1,500 vehicles in Japan by the end of the year and is targeting 6,000 annual units within five years.
“While BYD’s growth appears to be slowing, Hyundai’s trajectory has been sharply upward since April,” said one industry observer. “The INSTER could prove to be a true game changer in a market long viewed as impenetrable for foreign automakers.”
