News U.S. states banning or restricting kei cars

Japan's Kei cars stand in stark contrast to the behemoth American SUVs. While U.S. regulations often discourage smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, Japan's Kei car regulations limit size, weight, and power, fostering a unique market for these compact cars. Beyond their small stature, Kei cars are remarkably affordable, making them a popular choice in Japan and a highly sought-after grey-market import, especially among those seeking a more practical and economical alternative to larger, more complex vehicles.

However, the federal government's relaxed regulations for imported vehicles over 25 years old, exempting them from safety and fuel economy standards, have created a loophole allowing Kei cars to enter the U.S. market. While this has provided opportunities for enthusiasts, it has also raised concerns.
As states increasingly take the lead in vehicle regulations, Kei cars face growing scrutiny. Some states have begun restricting or banning these imports, citing safety concerns or other factors. The once-unassuming Kei car is now caught in a regulatory tug-of-war, highlighting the challenges of navigating a global automotive landscape.

Some states restrict Kei cars—often Kei trucks, in this case—to working as farm vehicles; depending on the state, they may travel up to 20 miles from the farm. Some states like Alabama and Arkansas allow them with conditions such as speed restrictions or no highway use. And others are outright banning them. Georgia, Maine, and New York have all done so, and now Massachusetts is the latest to join that movement, helpfully even publishing a list of examples of Kei cars, but it won't now register. Are they safe on American roads? The states aren't all using the same reasoning for their crackdowns. In some cases, Kei cars have been classified as "off-road vehicles," deemed unfit for road use. In other cases, state DMVs have pointed to the lack of compliance with federal safety standards as justification for banning them. The thing is, that's not precisely a misleading argument. Kei cars are small, even compared to cars you think are small, like a Mini Cooper or Fiat 500e. In 2017, the fine people at the Lane Motor Museum held a microcar rally, allowing me to drive a whole array of tiny four-wheel vehicles, including more than a few Kei cars.

Click to expand...

I wish Kei cars or something like them were more popular here. I was offered a free "upgrade" twice for rental cars recently, where I had asked for a midsize car, and they wanted to give me an SUV. The first time I got a hybrid, and the second time I didn't have much choice.

Kei cars would make a lot of sense for local driving, which is how EVs are marketed, but the advantage of Kei cars would be that there would be no range anxiety. Also cheaper than EVs. Lighter, too. Easy to park.

But it probably is true that they would be very dangerous for the occupants if the car ever got into an accident with the giant trucks and SUVs in the US. Also, speed limits in general are higher in the US, and Kei cars would have a hard time accelerating to freeway speed in time...especially where the onramps are short.

Be hard to drive in snow country. Low to the ground and light weight would hamper them when side roads often don't get plowed till last. My neighbors have 2 WRX Subarus with super thin tires which give them very little ground clearance. Even with all wheel drive , they are useless in snow over 5 inches deep.

Grandpa Frank said:

Be hard to drive in snow country. Low to the ground and light weight would hamper them when side roads often don't get plowed till last. My neighbors have 2 WRX Subarus with super thin tires which give them very little ground clearance. Even with all wheel drive , they are useless in snow over 5 inches deep.

Click to expand...

I owned a 4wd kei car in fukushima back in about 2015, I drove it 1100km to hokkaido in the middle of winter, all good.. no snow tyres while I was in fukushima but I did get them put on for the hokkaido trip. I toured all around hokkaido then drove back to fukushima, it never missed a beat and never got stuck. I had one "moment" on a motorway near morioka where I hit a patch of ice at about 100km/h on a long sweeping right hander and executed a beautiful but unintentional four-wheel drift across three lanes , but that was 100% my fault for goinng a wee bit too fast for the conditions

Plowed roads no problem, obviously once the snow gets up to the chassis it gets tricky but that applies to any car

USA: "Kei cars are dangerous"
.
.
.
Also USA:

In the US we have a three wheel vehicle class called autocycle which exemts from many safety standard. I see these Slingshots in town. Aptera does demos here too. Maybe some kind of adjustment could be made for Kei

salyavin said:

In the US we have a three wheel vehicle class called autocycle which exemts from many safety standard. I see these Slingshots in town. Aptera does demos here too. Maybe some kind of adjustment could be made for Kei

Click to expand...

Slingshots are treated as motorcycles from safety perspective (yet you can drive with regular drivers license). They've managed to slip through a narrow crack. I don't think K Cars can avoid being classified a cars.

Does anyone remember these? I think there were still some when I got here, many more in korea (many years before).

My first two cars here were manual (and I still have the license for that), now have an automatic. I wouldn't want to go back permanently, but this little kei could be great fun:


(maybe as a second car?)

What kind of car is the Kei car?
The Kei car is a practical standard only in Japan established in a law. The size of the body is/overall height 2.0m or less less than/overall width 1.48m less than 3.4m in total length, and the displacement volume of the engine is compact at all with 660cc or less. Other than the body size and the displacement volume, the capacity is selected as up to four people, too.
In addition, the automobile tax changes an amount of money by a capacity, but the light vehicle tax to be imposed to a private four-wheeled light car (light car) is 10,800 yen uniformly. On the other hand, as for the automobile taxes to usually hang over the car less than 3 liters of more than 2.5 liters of capacities, it may be said that light cars are usually more advantageous than a car on the taxation system side for 51,000 yen.
The mean fuel economy of the Kei car?
In any km/L "do have good fuel efficiency?" There is not an authentic hybrid car to a light car, and the best fuel economy of the present is a little less than 28km/L such as the alto. The mean fuel economy is 20km/L (WLTC mode) degree, and "moderation is good", and it may be said, "it is considerably good" 25.0km/L or more if fuel economy is 23.0km/L.

• The latest July, 2024 Kei car new car ranking Top 10. The N-BOX this month when I made my comeback to the first place? SPACIA, Tant, Jimny, Rooks, move, hustler, Wagon R, Taft.