Could The Willys Jeep CJ-2A Return As A Kei Car?
Stellantis is jumping on President Trump’s microcar bandwagon by bringing the Fiat Topolino to the USA. The Italian brand announced that the electric two-seater will soon be offered to American customers.
Trump said that he’d like to see small, affordable cars similar to Japanese “kei” cars on sale here and has directed the Transportation Department to do what it can to make it happen.
The $10,000 eight-foot-long Topolino won’t be sold as a road legal car, however, as it is what’s known in Europe as a quadricycle. Its 8 hp electric motor is only good for a restricted 28 mph top speed and the crash safety isn’t up to snuff for highway driving. It will likely be marketed as a neighborhood electric vehicle in the U.S.
True Kei cars are allowed to have up to 63 hp and some are capable of reaching 70 mph or more, but none currently meet U.S. safety standards. It’s not clear if the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will change its crash testing to accommodate them, but the DOT told American Cars And Racing, “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.” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy did suggest that if these cars are sold in the U.S. they should also be made here, which brings up an interesting possibility.
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The idea of introducing a “baby” Jeep 4×4 smaller than the Wrangler has been bandied about for years, but hasn’t yet resulted in a production vehicle. Now that its owner Stellantis is thinking about very small cars, here’s another idea for it.
The original consumer Willys Jeep CJ-2A is powered by a 60 hp Go Devil engine and just 130 inches long, while the Japanese kei car classification allows for vehicles up to 134 inches long. The CJ-2A is also 59 inches wide. Kei car rules set the maximum width at 58.3 inches, but it shouldn’t be too hard to chop off .7 inches to come in under the limit.
All Jeep Wranglers are built in Toledo, Ohio, these days, where the original was born, where assembly of a new Ram midsize pickup is about to be added. Might as well throw in a CJ-Kei while they’re at it. It seems like an appropriate thing for America’s most patriotic brand to do, right?
If nothing else, perhaps they can just do a Jeep version of the Topolino, which is already offered in Italy in a model with a roll-back canvas top and removable doors.