Push to go electric could make Japan’s cheap microcars extinct
Shiho Takezawa and Tsuyoshi Inajima
Bloomberg
Tokyo Japan’s kei cars, known for their affordability and small engines, face a potentially existential threat as the country leans on automakers to go electric as part of its net-zero emissions goal.
Kei means “light” in Japanese, and the category makes up about a third of new domestic automobile sales. They’re a popular means of transportation outside of major cities, used by farmers and families that need multiple vehicles to get around.
Cheap to buy and own, keis are mainly manufactured for the home market, with engines limited by law to 660 cubic centimeters (40 cubic inches).
Electric push could wipe out Japan’s cheap microcars
‘Kei’ cars to be hit by plans to ban the sale of new petrol vehicles by the mid-2030s Published: February 01, 2021 17:24 Bloomberg A Daihatsu Move kei car. Daihatsu Motor Co., Toyota s unit that makes keis, hasn t shifted toward electrification as much as other brands. Image Credit: Supplied
Japan’s kei cars, known for their affordability and small engines, face a potentially existential threat as the country leans on automakers to go electric as part of its net-zero emissions goal.
Kei means “light” in Japanese, and the category makes up about a third of new domestic automobile sales. They re a popular means of transportation outside of major cities, used by farmers and families that need multiple vehicles to get around. Cheap to buy and own, keis are mainly manufactured for the home market, with engines limited by law to 660 cubic centimetres
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