The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs

A tiny, single-seat electric car is taking Japan by storm. The mibot, built by KG Motors, has pre-sold 3,300 units before it has even hit the streets — more than all of the Toyota EVs sold in 2024.

As Emily Forlini notes in an article in PC Mag, the mini-car is ideal for short trips, with a 62-mile range and 37 mph top speed. “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 design could become hugely popular in dense cities with narrow streets and low speed limits. According to Forlini, “Japan has been slow to embrace EVs, but it has more hybrids than traditional gas-powered cars on the road.” Although 55 percent of new cars sold in Japan are hybrids, just 2 percent are fully electric. “Perhaps a cheap, small EV can carve out a unique place in the Japanese market.”