$7,000 Single-Seat MiBOT EV Outsells Toyota in Japanese Market

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This tiny $7,000 single-seat electric car is outselling Toyota's EVs in Japan - and it's not even in production yet.

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At less than 1.5 meters tall, KG Motors' MiBOT looks more like a golf cart than a car, but has already secured over 2,250 pre-orders.

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"Cars are simply too big," says KG Motors CEO Kazunari Kusunoki, who grew up navigating Japan's notoriously narrow streets.

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With a range of 62 miles and a top speed of 37 mph, the MiBOT isn't built for highways - but that's exactly the point.

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What happens when EVs make up just 3.5% of vehicle sales in Japan compared to the global average of 18%? Startups like KG Motors step in.

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The secret to the MiBOT's $7,000 price tag? A bare-bones design: one seat, a 7.68 kWh battery, and minimal electronics in a simple chassis.

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Why are 95% of MiBOT buyers already homeowners with at least one car? The tiny EV fills a growing need for personal mobility in rural Japan.

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Japan's aging population and deteriorating public transport have created what KG Motors' CEO calls "a need for one car per person, not just per household."

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Chinese EV giant BYD and Korean automaker Hyundai are now planning their own mini EVs for Japan - but at twice the price of the MiBOT.

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KG Motors aims to deliver its first 300 MiBOTs by March 2026, with plans to eventually produce 10,000 units annually.

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