RI DMV Trying to ban Kei Trucks, again?

[Enthusiast]

Unless there is a glaring safety flaw like the pinto gas tank, I don't see why this matters. Motorcycles are far more dangerous anyhow but we don't ban those. If this is all a person can afford or person wants to gamble with their life, That's their choice. We need to stop being everybody's nanny all the time. And I say this as a survivor of a severe car wreck.

 

[Rmay635703]

Not aware of any kei vehicles from Japan haven been marketed in the USA. A Kei has very strict engine size requirement of being under a give cc. I believe 660cc is the max.

I can list several vehicles that are/were kei spec that were sold in Japan and US but with a different engine or minor changes.

Smart cars were sold without the flares and wide wheelbase in Japan as kei spec using a different motor.

iMiev was originally sold as a kei spec with minor changes to support the us’s wide rears

The Daihatsu Charade was sold in the US and has alternated between the Kei and Asahi (5 number) super mini segments in Japan for decades.

Various Suzuki’s were Keis including the Jimney

Early US Hondas were kei spec.

Both the Sambar and Hijet were sold commercially in kei spec before 1983.

And of coarse the 4x Subaru 360 variants were sold by Malcom Brickland 1972 and earlier

 

[D60]

As an Australian it’s kind of weird to hear that some of your states are trying to ban kei vehicles.
Down here we don’t hear that many complaints about kei vehicles but various NGOs and politicians want to ban inconvenience people with taxes and want to introduce a special class of licence for F150s and Ram sized vehicles because they’re “too big”.

"The process is the punishment."

 

[IndyIan]

As an Australian it’s kind of weird to hear that some of your states are trying to ban kei vehicles.
Down here we don’t hear that many complaints about kei vehicles but various NGOs and politicians want to ban inconvenience people with taxes and want to introduce a special class of licence for F150s and Ram sized vehicles because they’re “too big”.

That makes more sense to me, Kei vehicles put most(all?) risk on the person deciding to drive one. I'm sure its pretty obvious that its not going to do well in a big accident, but is still many times safer than a motorcycle.
The half ton pickup and larger personal vehicles put more risk on everyone else and in some cases the drivers too... Some 3/4 and 1 ton trucks have a higher driver deathrate than the average, and kill other drivers at ~3 times the average vehicle does.

https://www.iihs.org/ratings/driver-death-rates-by-make-and-model

 

[72westy]

I can list several vehicles that are/were kei spec that were sold in Japan and US but with a different engine or minor changes.

Smart cars were sold without the flares and wide wheelbase in Japan as kei spec using a different motor.

iMiev was originally sold as a kei spec with minor changes to support the us’s wide rears

The Daihatsu Charade was sold in the US and has alternated between the Kei and Asahi (5 number) super mini segments in Japan for decades.

Various Suzuki’s were Keis including the Jimney

Early US Hondas were kei spec.

Both the Sambar and Hijet were sold commercially in kei spec before 1983.

And of coarse the 4x Subaru 360 variants were sold by Malcom Brickland 1972 and earlier

They're only classified a 'Kei' vehicle in Japan if it meets all the requirements including engine size.

 

[Rmay635703]

They're only classified a 'Kei' vehicle in Japan if it meets all the requirements including engine size.

So US Spec Honda n360, Subaru 360, 83 and Down Sambar/Hijet, 1st gen Suzuki Jimney all meet the Kei spec.
The IMIEV also has the same “drivetrain “ us or HKN.

Far as I’m concerned If I put a v8 in a Superbeetle it’s still a super beetle.

If a kei cars sheet metal surrounds a us spec 4 cylinder instead of a JDM 3 it’s not substively different.

 

[72westy]

So US Spec Honda n360, Subaru 360, 83 and Down Sambar/Hijet, 1st gen Suzuki Jimney all meet the Kei spec.
The IMIEV also has the same “drivetrain “ us or HKN.

Far as I’m concerned If I put a v8 in a Superbeetle it’s still a super beetle.

If a kei cars sheet metal surrounds a us spec 4 cylinder instead of a JDM 3 it’s not substively different.

It's a Japanese requirement in order to meet a defined 'Kei' requirement. The Jimney sold today in Japan isn't classified as a 'Kei' vehicle due to not meeting certain requirements. New version have 1.5L engine.

 

[Pablo]

Wow, I've seen around 6 of these the last week. I was wondering about legalities, etc and of course there a BITOG thread!

 

[72westy]

Wow, I've seen around 6 of these the last week. I was wondering about legalities, etc and of course there a BITOG thread!

So far Washington has been tight lipped on them being imported.

 

[Pablo]

So far Washington has been tight lipped on them being imported.

But legal they are.

 

[ripcord]

Wow, I've seen around 6 of these the last week. I was wondering about legalities, etc and of course there a BITOG thread!

Me, too. I just saw one with a beautiful new paint job. They're getting popular.

 

[wemay]

Slippery slope

 

[ripcord]

Slippery slope

Into what? Go-carts on the street?

 

[97prizm]

Maybe the golf cart and utility vehicle lobby is behind it. The goal is to set a precedence and hope other states follow.
The on road saftey thing is an excuse. John Deere ... doesn't want to lose sales of their Gator utility vehicle?

Several states recently had major backlash and either cancelled the ban on kei cars or reversed their decision.

 

[02SE]

That makes more sense to me, Kei vehicles put most(all?) risk on the person deciding to drive one. I'm sure its pretty obvious that its not going to do well in a big accident, but is still many times safer than a motorcycle.
The half ton pickup and larger personal vehicles put more risk on everyone else and in some cases the drivers too... Some 3/4 and 1 ton trucks have a higher driver deathrate than the average, and kill other drivers at ~3 times the average vehicle does.

View attachment 259251
https://www.iihs.org/ratings/driver-death-rates-by-make-and-model

I guess I'd better drive my truck more often. I'm most likely to come out better off than those that might hit me.

 

[fdcg27]

I've looked at these little dears from time to time and they are cute, cheap and offer surprisingly good load carrying ability.
They're also tiny with no crumple zones and are pretty slow. They obviously meet no known impact standards. They aren't cut-price F150s.
For those who want to use the twenty five year rule to import and drive them, that should be their choice.
No need for any state DMV to get involved.
We regulate everything. Let's leave this little loophole alone.

 

[97prizm]

If it's good for the goose then it's...

As I said, I don't see how you can treat two vehicles that both do not meet FMVSS differently. If there are restrictions on how antique vehicles are used because of safety concerns, then there should also be restrictions placed on these vehicles due to safety concerns. I'm not saying they have to be the same restrictions, for instance, perhaps these little trucks should only be used on certain local roads with limited speed limits or in areas designated as rural areas. These restrictions may make their everyday use impractical but at least the law would seem to be applied more consistently.

A number of companies are using them for city parks, and sidewalk snow removal. Someone local to me has a Nissan Figaro that is bigger than it looks but it may not be considered a kei car. The issue is that golf carts and many side-by-side or "gator" carts have become insanely expensive. When I see golf carts with 10-11 thousand dollar price tags it's crazy.

 

[Pterostylis]

That makes more sense to me, Kei vehicles put most(all?) risk on the person deciding to drive one. I'm sure its pretty obvious that its not going to do well in a big accident, but is still many times safer than a motorcycle.
The half ton pickup and larger personal vehicles put more risk on everyone else and in some cases the drivers too... Some 3/4 and 1 ton trucks have a higher driver deathrate than the average, and kill other drivers at ~3 times the average vehicle does.

View attachment 259251
https://www.iihs.org/ratings/driver-death-rates-by-make-and-model

The hypocrisy is that <4500kg cabover light commercial trucks that are designed to be driven on a car licence are very common here, yet few of the scared complainers ever mention those, mainly only the American dual cab “trucks”. We also have comparatively few American trucks down here.

 

[Dinoburner]

Will never ride in one of those tin can coffins but at the same time would never advocate outlawing them. Let Darwin sort them out.

 

[Pablo]

They are on site/plant vehicles IMHO. Great for that.