Re:Toyota brand Scion is back and it's going to sell a kei t...
by legitster on Tuesday November 10, 2026 @07:35PM
(#50448325)
> With its friendly little 660cc engine and CVT transmission, the KEI-01 was certified to meet American low-speed vehicle safety standards, meaning it has a limited top speed of less than 25mph and is only legal on roads with a posted speed limit of less than 35mph. This makes it not really usable as a daily driver, but keeps it in this beautiful sweet spot where it has a shocking number of commercial and agricultural uses.
You were always allowed to import small kei trucks in the US if you didn't take them on public streets - you were just never allowed to register them. You would regularly see them in zoos or in manufacturing yards - in LHD to boot!
It's a little disappointing, they are basically going to be treated legally like a golf cart and electronically limited. An identical imported model would go all the way up to 55mph on the same drivetrain.
It's all limited by the US maddening approach to traffic safety - a 3 ton pickup with 6 foot pedestrian blind spots gets top safety ratings, but a small truck going 30mph is illegal.
You were always allowed to import small kei trucks in the US if you didn't take them on public streets - you were just never allowed to register them. You would regularly see them in zoos or in manufacturing yards - in LHD to boot!
It's a little disappointing, they are basically going to be treated legally like a golf cart and electronically limited. An identical imported model would go all the way up to 55mph on the same drivetrain.
It's all limited by the US maddening approach to traffic safety - a 3 ton pickup with 6 foot pedestrian blind spots gets top safety ratings, but a small truck going 30mph is illegal.