Cleantechnica Exclusive: Interview with MiBot Creator Kusunoki-san - CleanTechnica

The article features an exclusive interview with Kusunoki-san, the creator of the MiBot, a compact electric vehicle (EV) designed specifically for Japan’s narrow streets and solo commuting needs. Kusunoki emphasizes that traditional cars are too large for Japan’s urban environment, inspiring the development of the MiBot, which is priced aggressively at around $7,000 USD—about half the cost of Japan’s best-selling EV, the Nissan Sakura. This affordability and practicality have driven strong market interest, with over 3,300 pre-orders, surpassing Toyota’s total EV sales in Japan for 2024. Kusunoki highlights that despite lacking a traditional engineering background, the biggest challenge was assembling a team and partners who shared the project’s vision, which they achieved through transparent communication and sharing their development journey on YouTube. Kusunoki believes the MiBot’s concept has global potential in urban areas with similar constraints, especially given rising environmental awareness and demand for last-mile mobility solutions. However, he