Images from WikipediaIt looks like Donald Trump finds Kei Cars kawaii, (かわいい, meaning cute) and wants to make them legal in the United States.
These tiny vehicles, limited by Japanese Law to having engines no larger than 660 cc engine displacement, 47 kW, and 3.4 meters long are available in Japan as normal(ish) passenger cars, sports cars, and tiny pickup trucks.
During his Wednesday announcement regarding shifting fuel economy regulations, President Donald Trump dropped a surprise victory for car enthusiasts here in the United States. While outlining how his new plans will improve the affordability of new cars in America, Trump announced that he has tasked U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy with clearing the regulatory deck to allow small cars of the sort sold in Asia, such as Japan's kei cars, to become available in the United States.
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Trump explained how he saw these small cars during his recent trip to Asia, which he described as both “cute” and “beautiful,” but was told they could not be sold in the United States due to regulations. The president's remarks suggested he thought that silly, and that these small machines could be sold at a more affordable price point than other traditional models. Trump also touted how smaller cars are more efficient thanks to their smaller engines, and specifically named brands like Honda and Toyota as potential sources for these machines.
For those who are not familiar, kei cars are a segment of vehicles that are quite popular in Japan. They are built to strict dimensional standards, and must feature an engine no larger than 660 cc. The form factor can range from pickup truck to mid-engine sports car and everything between. They’re absolutely tiny however, with many being utterly dwarfed by the likes of the Mazda Miata.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure how well they will do in America, the land of 5,500 pound death machines.
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