Toyota’s Scion brand is being resurrected after a decade to sell a tiny truck at President Trump’s request.
Well, we can’t say for sure there was a cause and effect, but Trump last year professed his fondness for Japan’s Kei vehicles, which are micro cars and trucks that often sell for less than the equivalent of $10,000.
None are engineered to be fully street legal in the U.S., however, and doing so would likely end up making them much more expensive and defeat the purpose. However, Toyota has found a way to do it , with a caveat.
The automaker has unveiled the Scion by Toyota Kei-01 pickup, which it will begin assembling in Indiana next year. The 11-foot-long truck is essentially a rebranded Hijet from Toyota-owned Daihatsu, which is currently sold in other countries.
It will be powered by a 660cc three-cylinder naturally aspirated engine that’s likely to have around 45 hp, a continuously variable transmission and standard four-wheel drive.
It has a two-seat cabin with right-hand drive, heating, air conditioning and an infotainment system, plus a drop-side platform bed with a 600-pound payload rating.
The twist, is that it will be sold as an LSV (Low Speed Vehicle) with a 25 mph top speed and is only allowed to be operated on private property and roads with speed limits no higher than 35 mph, so it doesn’t need to meet the same safety and emissions standards as fully legal automobiles. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but it will initially be offered only for fleet sales targeting farm, campus and local urban needs, although Toyota might expand that to “outdoor enthusiasts and hobbyists wanting a versatile utility vehicle.”
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It won’t be the first LSV offered by a major automaker, however. Fiat has started shipping small batches of its Topolino electric car to the U.S. with an 8 hp electric motor and 46 miles of driving range at a $14,985 starting price. Unlike the Scion, it’s primarily meant for the dolce vita lifestyle at beach, resort and retirement communities.
