"Yet the automaker nearly doubled its sales in Japan and the way it pulled that off offers a useful lesson for automakers struggling to sell EVs. Japan is still a very small EV market compared to the U.S., China, or even Europe. Of the roughly 3.8 million vehicles sold in Japan last year, only about 60,677 were battery powered, according to multiple local news reports. Even so, Tesla delivered a record 10,600 vehicles in the country, nearly doubling its 2024 sales."
"Tesla grew its sales in Japan by being smart and sticking to the basics of retail sales strategy. The company began leaning less on online-only orders and more on in-person experiences that look a lot like a traditional dealership model, Nikkei reported Friday. Photo by: Tesla The automaker doesn't operate franchised dealerships because it sells directly to customers. Still, it does rely on company-owned physical showrooms that replicate a dealership experience, minus the markups and haggling."
"Things changed for the better in September 2024, Nikkei reports, when Tesla hired Richi Hashimoto, Red Bull's former head of marketing, as its country manager for Japan. Under Hashimoto, Tesla opened 16 permanent showrooms in Japan last year, all located inside high-traffic shopping malls, with test drives in the parking lots. That alone wasn't enough. Tesla also invested heavily in staff training and education. Japan remains far behind in the EV race, which means most consumers are still likely unfamiliar with EV terminology."
Tesla nearly doubled its sales in Japan last year, delivering a record 10,600 vehicles despite a small EV market. Japan sold about 3.8 million vehicles last year, only roughly 60,677 of which were battery-powered. Global deliveries fell sharply in major markets such as the U.S. and China. Tesla shifted from online-only ordering toward in-person experiences that resemble traditional dealerships while maintaining company-owned direct sales. In September 2024 Tesla hired Richi Hashimoto as country manager and opened 16 permanent showrooms inside high-traffic shopping malls with parking-lot test drives. Tesla also invested in extensive staff training and consumer education to address low EV familiarity among Japanese buyers.
Read at insideevs.com
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