{"generated_at":"2026-11-12T18:49:04.335Z","source":{"name":"Hacker News public API","url":"https://github.com/HackerNews/API","attribution":"Stories and comments are public Hacker News submissions by their respective authors. HackerHub is an independent reader, not affiliated with Y Combinator.","content_is_untrusted":true},"story_id":50445401,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50445401","total_comments":407,"returned":20,"scope":"Up to the requested number of top-level comments in Hacker News ranked order. Deleted comments are omitted. Nested replies are not fetched; this is not the complete thread.","comments":[{"id":50447336,"author":"freetime2","created_at":"2026-11-10T22:41:58.000Z","text":"I use a kei truck for farming. They are incredibly pragmatic little vehicles. They are very capable driving around on dirt/gravel agricultural roads with 4WD, and they are inexpensive and robust enough that you can really beat them up and use them as a tool without worry. Repairs and replacement parts are ubiquitous and inexpensive. Having the sides of bed fold down is also really useful.\nThey aren't comfortable to drive at all (although just having A/C at all on a hot summer day in the field is a godsend), and I wouldn't want to do longer trips in one - although you certainly could in a pinch.\nIt seems like Toyota/Scion is just testing the waters here, and I'm not sure how successful they'll be. But I hope there is a future for kei trucks in the US.","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":2,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50447336"},{"id":50447138,"author":"ilamont","created_at":"2026-11-10T22:23:05.000Z","text":"25 mph works for golf courses, resort, or island use. In rural areas on the mainland, roads connecting towns often have 45 or 55 mph speed limits so unless you plan on staying on the farm I don't think these are practical for trips to go shopping, dumping, hauling, etc.\nAs for the imports, I saw one of these 90s-era right-hand drive kei trucks at a parking lot a few months ago and talked with the owner. He was a young guy who lived in Boston, said it was super easy to park. Speed maxed out at 70 mph, which is fine for local trips but maybe not for long highway trips.\nFor people in jurisdictions that allow 30 year old truck imports, and are interested in getting one, there are other countries that use such trucks and have left-hand drive. Taiwan has models from CMC and Suzuki, and I believe South Korea also makes them.","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":10,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50447138"},{"id":50446600,"author":"6DM","created_at":"2026-11-10T21:32:37.000Z","text":"With a built in 25mph limiter, that eliminates \"city\" driving too unfortunately. Most roads around me are 35 mph.\nThere's sizeable demand for people who want to be able to do runs to the bigbox stores for garden and DIY renovation supplies and store it the rest of the time.","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":7,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50446600"},{"id":50454433,"author":"stronglikedan","created_at":"2026-11-11T15:15:55.000Z","text":"> 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.\nDealbreaker. Too bad they couldn't get it legal on 45mph or less. It would literally open up 99% of non-highway routes.","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":1,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50454433"},{"id":50447211,"author":"classictraffic","created_at":"2026-11-10T22:29:46.000Z","text":"This would have been an instant buy for me if it weren't for the 25mph limit. That being said, I'm extremely excited by this, because it proves there is demand for Kei trucks in the US. I've done a lot of research into the import process for bringing a truck over from Japan, and I'll likely end up going that route in a year or so unless newer trucks with higher speeds get announced","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":1,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50447211"},{"id":50446653,"author":"erickhill","created_at":"2026-11-10T21:36:45.000Z","text":"660cc engine at ~40 horsepower is about the same as a mid-70s VW Beetle - not in cc size, but HP potential.\nThis little truck could do a lot more than 25 mph if it were allowed to do so. Not saying that would be safe, and I'd not want to ever put one on a busy freeway, but for getting around most urban cities in the US it's fine as-is but would be even better if the limit was ~40 mph.","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":0,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50446653"},{"id":50446571,"author":"__alexander","created_at":"2026-11-10T21:29:54.000Z","text":"It’s a huge mistake to limit the speed to 25mph. When this is released in 2027, Kei trucks will be street legal in Colorado. I would have pre-ordered this without question but that speed makes it useless for basic commuting or running errands.","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":5,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50446571"},{"id":50446847,"author":"Grombobulous","created_at":"2026-11-10T21:55:25.000Z","text":"For those of you clamoring for kei trucks to be street legal in the US, you really need to do some street view comparisons between Japan and the US.\nUS roads are built for much, much higher speeds. Kei cars purposefully give up safety with the caveat that they’re only used on low speed roadways, and Japan designs their roads with the intention of these vehicles being acceptably safe in that context.","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":5,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50446847"},{"id":50447919,"author":"SwellJoe","created_at":"2026-11-10T23:44:31.000Z","text":"All little trucks are beautiful. The perfect truck is a 1985 long bed Toyota Pickup, but I guess I'm happy about any little trucks coming to the US, since the laws are stacked so much against them.","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":0,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50447919"},{"id":50447777,"author":"analog31","created_at":"2026-11-10T23:27:40.000Z","text":">>>> When Toyota first introduced the Scion marque in 2003, it had one primary goal – sell cars to the younger generation.\nWhen I bought my Scion, after finishing the transaction, I asked the salesman: \"It's obvious who these cars are being marketed to. But who buys them?\"\nHis answer: \"Old tightwads like you.\"","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":1,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50447777"},{"id":50453388,"author":"TimC123456","created_at":"2026-11-11T13:49:01.000Z","text":"This is exciting, though the 25mph governor is a dealbreaker. I own a 1998 Subaru Sambar Kei Van (and am importing a second this month). It's a delight to drive here in the city, and it functions as an ideal delivery vehicle for my wife's neighborhood bakery. Cargo space exceeds my 7-seat SUV.\nMaintenance is challenging (entirely DIY, as no shops around here care to touch it), but getting most parts has been fairly straightforward, just slow if we have to ship them from Japan.\nThe Kei van format is fantastic, and we've even installed seatbelts for the rear fold-down seats and we drive our kids around in it. I can't seem to get it higher than about 60mph, but that's scary fast for this vehicle. We don't ever really need to take it on the highway. It's so simple to park, visibility and features are amazing, even for an older vehicle. Ahead of it's time! I would love to get a pickup version, but don't have an excuse for that yet.","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":0,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50453388"},{"id":50454944,"author":"officeplant","created_at":"2026-11-11T16:00:20.000Z","text":"> 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.\nSo it's basically useless to the American market outside of the farming and rural campgrounds communities.\nWe already import thousands of Kei trucks a year for farm truck use and those imported trucks can even have their speed limiters removed to go 55mph depending on the state laws, this is pointless.","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":0,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50454944"},{"id":50448420,"author":"throwaway81523","created_at":"2026-11-11T00:46:43.000Z","text":"I almost bought used electric one for $5K about a year ago, before the Iran invasion and the fuel price spikes. I had a good use for it at the time (a family move) so I regret not getting it, since I figured it would just be more lingering crap at the end of the move. But, it would have held resale value. I'm sure they're in much shorter supply now.\nThey're great for local hauling or a short commute, but impractical as a general purpose vehicle due to limited range and speed (the type I was looking at, anyway). Top speed is 40mph and they're legal to drive only on roads with speed limit 35mph or lower, and range with the 10kwh battery pack is around 40 miles iirc. But, if you only use it a few miles per day on average and park it outside, putting solar panels on the roof means it literally never needs fuel or charging. The stopper for me was being unable to drive on the freeway.","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":0,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50448420"},{"id":50449744,"author":"ryzvonusef","created_at":"2026-11-11T04:28:45.000Z","text":"Not sure ho well they will work with the 25mph limit. Might as well import an actual kei truck, even if 25 year old... or get one of those mini electric chinese pickups:\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIPXsvWPcGI\nbtw, there is a Californian company called Telo Truck that wants to sell a Kei-ish truck but as an EV cab forward. I say Kei-ish because it is 152 inch long (they compare it to a Mini on their website), where as Kei trucks can max be 134 inch, it gives me the same shape and vibes.\nIf the company ever makes it to production, then i guess that could be a real option.","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":0,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50449744"},{"id":50447306,"author":"dennyabraham","created_at":"2026-11-10T22:38:47.000Z","text":"Kei trucks have high utility because they continue to be country-appropriate as American pickup trucks (and cars!) used to be. The confluence of CAFE standards and tax benefits entirely eliminated small vehicles in the United States. It really makes companies like Telo stand out, as they are making small yet fully functional trucks in the US, despite the inherent headwinds.\nAnother company that deserves plaudits for the same is mutiny.fm who are building an open source kei truck out of a disused factory in Detroit. Similar limitations as the new scion, but aimed at people for whom repairability and modifiability are virtues in a vehicle","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":1,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50447306"},{"id":50447164,"author":"laweijfmvo","created_at":"2026-11-10T22:24:53.000Z","text":"why would they build this? i believe there is a legitimate market for small trucks (actual small trucks, not Mavericks), but less than 25mph is just not useable for anything","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":1,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50447164"},{"id":50446890,"author":"Oarch","created_at":"2026-11-10T21:59:44.000Z","text":"Can I please post my favourite song about Kei Trucks:\nhttps://youtu.be/MHAOvKJngTQ","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":0,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50446890"},{"id":50448311,"author":"ourmandave","created_at":"2026-11-11T00:33:49.000Z","text":"When I was a kid in the early 2000s, I often dreamed of one day owning a tC in Black Cherry Pearl and enjoyed lovingly calling xBs “toaster cars.”\nRecently almost bought an '06 xB toaster except it was a Series limit edition with the special paint job. It had chipped paint on the hood from rocks and the owner said his insurance would total it instead of repainting because the paint was so expensive.","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":0,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50448311"},{"id":50454751,"author":"RankingMember","created_at":"2026-11-11T15:44:27.000Z","text":"Bringing back the Scion brand for real as Toyota's EV sub-brand would seem like a good fit to me. (I miss that brand: great, simple cars, mostly based on the Echo platform)","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":0,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50454751"},{"id":50448411,"author":"thecrumb","created_at":"2026-11-11T00:45:01.000Z","text":"I live in a rural area in NC and these are all over the place, but I'm not sure why Toyota is doing this. Without knowing the price it's difficult to say how well it will do but why would I buy this vs an older one? In our area I think these are replacing side by sides which have just become astronomical in price.","parent_id":50445401,"replies_count":0,"hn_url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50448411"}]}