Trump invites ‘cute’ Japanese kei trucks to come to America


Tiny kei trucks from Japan have a new fan: President Donald Trump.

Trump expressed admiration for the pint-sized autos during a briefing with reporters to announce his plan to gut fuel economy standards. “They’re very small. They’re really cute,” Trump said. “And I said, how would that do in this country? And everyone seems to think, good, but you’re not allowed to build them.”

Kei vehicles, which are built to satisfy Japan’s light vehicle regulations, are enjoying surging popularity in the automarket — including here in the US. Sales of kei trucks tripled in the last five years, with around 7,500 total imported just last year, according to data from Japan Used Motor Vehicle cited by CNN.

“They’re very small. They’re really cute.”

Comparing them to the Volkswagen Beetle, Trump said he was authorizing the US Department of Transportation “to immediately approve the production of those cars.”

“He gave me the directive to clear the regulations on this, which we have,” US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said at the briefing. “And so if Toyota or any other company wants to make smaller, more affordable cars, fuel efficient, we have cleared the deck so they can make them in America and sell them in America.”

A spokesperson for USDOT did not immediately respond to questions about what specific authorization Trump gave Duffy.

Indeed, the regulation around the legality of kei vehicles in the US is spotty. Federal rules allow for the import of mini trucks so long as they are 25 years or older, while state laws surrounding their on-road legality and registration are less clear. The vehicles would also need to comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, which dictates everything from steering wheel placement to vehicle weight.

That said, many states have rules allowing low-speed vehicles like golf carts, so its conceivable that kei trucks could slip through under those provisions.

Whether they would sell, though, is another question. Kei vehicles, short for “keitora,” meaning “light truck,” have strict guidelines around engine, size, and power limits. And while they certainly have a following in the US, they are probably too small for the majority of American buyers.

Of course, the purpose of the briefing was to announce the rollback of strict fuel efficiency rules put in place by the Biden administration. Trump said the goal was to make cars more affordable, but most experts predict that any savings from lower-priced vehicles will be offset by higher fuel costs over time.



Source link

  • Related Posts

    Elon Musk’s X fined €120m by EU in first clash under new digital laws | Elon Musk

    Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, has been fined €120m (£105m) after it was found in breach of new EU digital laws, in a ruling likely to put the European…

    The best laptops for gaming and schoolwork in 2025

    Balancing schoolwork with gaming usually means finding a laptop that can do a little bit of everything. The best gaming laptops aren’t just built for high frame rates. They also…

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    You Missed

    To help homeless students graduate, New Mexico tries paying them

    Victoria’s Secret Q3 2025 Sales Surge 9%, CEO Hillary Super Settles In

    Victoria’s Secret Q3 2025 Sales Surge 9%, CEO Hillary Super Settles In

    Trump’s security strategy criticizes Europe, seeks ‘stability’ with Russia

    Long-awaited electronic medical records system to launch Saturday at IWK Health Centre

    Long-awaited electronic medical records system to launch Saturday at IWK Health Centre

    Netflix to buy Warner Bros. and HBO Max

    Netflix to buy Warner Bros. and HBO Max

    Elon Musk’s X fined €120m by EU in first clash under new digital laws | Elon Musk

    Elon Musk’s X fined €120m by EU in first clash under new digital laws | Elon Musk