One of the most noticeable contrasts between Japan and other nations is that, with noteworthy exceptions, parking on the street has been outlawed since 1957. All car purchases must be accompanied with a local parking place that is less than 2 kilometers from the dwelling. With the high cost of property in a predominantly hilly nation, every square meter matters, and having a compact garage and a car that fits in it is critical.
The kei car (keijidosha or light car) offers several tax advantages at the state level, is a compact vehicle idea, and solves the mobility and parking problems. Furthermore, in some rural locations, it is free from requiring a parking permit, making it an even better option for those leaving cities.
The kei car’s background is straightforward: they were part of Japan’s post-World War II recovery strategy. Japan sought to promote its automobile industry, but consumers did not have the money to buy a traditional car, thus offering facilities in smaller, cheaper, and more efficient automobiles was to be a government initiative. The idea was to replace motorbikes with small loading and unloading vans to help the country recover faster. Since then, the legislation has undergone a few changes, the most of which have been adjustments to keep up with the times and technological advances.
The current rule, which goes back to the 1990s, specifies that they must not exceed 660 CC with a maximum power of 64 horsepower and cannot be longer than 3.4 meters. Prior to 2014, it had significant tax benefits in both insurance payments and purchasing, as well as other ideas. From that year forward, the 50 percent rise in taxes they face ceased to be appealing to many of its potential consumers, albeit this has not resulted in a significant loss of market share.
There are just four manufacturers: Daihatsu, Honda, Suzuki, and Nissan-Mitsubishi, with others selling rebranded or adapted vehicles with minimal changes. They took the top four spots on the list of best-selling automobiles in 2018 with minivan-type models, which are now regarded the most practical among Japanese consumers. There are other types of kei automobiles, such as trucks and vans, but they all have the distinguishing distinction of having yellow license plates if they belong to a private individual or black license plates if they belong to a corporation.
The odd thing is that we may discover various types of models and inventions under this category of traditionally Japanese miniature vehicles. Jeeps, minivans, sports cars, two-seaters, electric automobiles, and other vehicles are available. There are several models in this video.
Gran Turismo, the series that has dedicated more to them in simulators, featured an open competition just for these models dubbed Lightweight K Cup in the penultimate iteration, featuring some of the most renowned and historical. There are also a few tests with the same Honda Beat, the Honda S660, or the Daihatsu Copen in Gran Turismo 7.
As you can see, some countries are their own universe, with their own quirks, problems, and answers. And, outside of Japan, these automobiles have had little success since they are extremely unprofitable for their producers.
See you on the track!
