Sorry, Folks, It Sounds Like Trump’s Kei Car Legalization Isn’t Happening Soon
President Trump shocked the car world this week when he announced that he’d directed the Department of Transportation to legalize Japanese-style kei cars, which he’d recently discovered on a trip to Asia.
The low-priced microcompacts are popular in Japan, but none meet U.S. regulations — particularly safety — in their current configuration.
“They have a very small car sort of like the beetle used to be with the Volkswagen, Trump said. “They’re very small, they’re really cute and I said ‘how would that do in this country?’ And everyone seems to think good, but you’re not allowed to build them, and I’ve authorized the [Transportation] secretary to immediately approve the production of those cars.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy added that “we have cleared the deck so they can make them in America and sell them in America.”
CLICK TO BOOST AMERICAN CARS AND AND RACING IN YOUR SEARCH RESULTS
Japanese kei cars are limited to 660cc engines with u to 63 hp and are smaller than a Fiat 500. Prices start at less than $10,000, but federalizing them for U.S. sale would add significant costs unless waivers for safety and emissions were granted. Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound like that’s happening soon.
CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE FREE AMERICAN CARS AND RACING NEWSLETTER FOR THE LATEST UPDATES
“Under President Trump’s strong leadership, Secretary Duffy is working to ensure Americans can afford the car that fits their family’s needs whether gas-powered or electric. As with all vehicles, manufacturers must certify that they meet U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, including for crashworthiness and passenger protection,” the DOT said in a statement in response to American Cars And Racing seeking more information about the status of the plan.
Duffy also appeared on CNBC on Thursday and explained that Trump, “called me after the meeting, actually, and said, let’s change the rules. And so I worked with NHTSA. We’re in the process clearing the deck. Listen, if there’s a market for those vehicles, I want to give our manufacturers the opportunity to build those cars. And so we are and it’s going to clear the deck, clear the rules and let them build those small cars. And again are they going to work on the freeways? Probably not. But again, vehicles that work in cities and if that’s where you drive, it could be a great solution for you. And by the way, much more affordable than other options that are on the market today.”
Follow American Cars And Racing across our social media on X, Flipboard, YouTube, Reddit, Instagram, and Facebook.