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Kei car (or ,
kanji are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are still used, along with the subsequ ...
: , "light automobile", ), known variously outside Japan as Japanese city car or Japanese microcar, is the Japanese vehicle category for the smallest highway-legal passenger cars with restricted dimensions and engine capacity. Similar Japanese categories exist for
microvan A microvan is a van or minivan which is within the Japanese kei car classification or similar, and is smaller than a mini MPV. In China, these vehicles are nicknamed ''mian bao che'' ("bread-loaf vehicle") because of their shape.
s, and kei trucks. These vehicles are most often the Japanese equivalent of the EU A-segment (city cars). The kei car category was created by the Japanese government in 1949, and the regulations have been revised several times since. These regulations specify a maximum vehicle size, engine capacity, and power output, so that owners may enjoy both tax and insurance benefits. In most rural areas they are also exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate
parking Parking is the act of stopping and disengaging a vehicle and leaving it unoccupied. Parking on one or both sides of a road is often permitted, though sometimes with restrictions. Some buildings have parking facilities for use of the buildings' ...
is available for the vehicle."Owning a Car in Japan"
ALTs in Sendai (via
Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
)
Kei cars have become very successful in Japan, consisting of over one-third of domestic new-car sales in fiscal 2016, despite dropping from a record 40% market share in 2013, after the government increased the kei-car tax by 50% in 2014. In 2018, seven of the 10 top-selling models were kei cars, including the top four, all boxy passenger vans:
Honda N-Box The (corporately styled as N-BOX) is a kei car produced by Honda for the Japanese market. Together with the N-WGN, N-One and N-Van, it is part of the renewed N lineup of kei class city cars from Honda. The use of the letter "N" in the name ...
,
Suzuki Spacia The Suzuki Spacia is a kei car produced by Suzuki. It was a replacement for the Suzuki Palette, which was discontinued in February 2013. It improves upon fuel efficiency, is lighter and features a larger cabin than its predecessor. The vehicle i ...
,
Nissan Dayz The Mitsubishi eK is a kei car series from Mitsubishi Motors, based on the long-running Minica, and first introduced on October 11, 2001. According to the company, the "''eK''" name stands for "excellent ''keijidōsha''" or "excellent minicar". ...
, and
Daihatsu Tanto The is a kei car manufactured by the Japanese carmaker Daihatsu. It was introduced at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show as a vehicle based on the Move's "tall" body style, and followed by the Tanto Custom in July 2005. The name "Tanto" is derived fr ...
. Isuzu is the only current Japanese automobile manufacturer that has never offered a ''kei''-sized vehicle for either private ownership or commercial trucks and microvans. In export markets, though, the genre is generally too specialized and too small for most models to be profitable. Rees, p. 79 Notable exceptions exist, though, for instance the Suzuki Alto and Daihatsu Cuore, which were exported consistently from around 1980. Kei cars are not only popular with the elderly, but they are also popular with youths, especially younger families because of their affordability and ease of use. Nearly all kei cars have been designed and manufactured in Japan, but a version of the German-made Smart was briefly imported and officially classified as a kei car, and since then, the British Caterham 7 160 has also received such classification.


Description

Kei cars feature yellow license plates, earning them the name "yellow-plate cars" (black numbers on yellow background for private use and yellow numbers on black background for commercial use) in English-speaking circles. Japanese government regulations limit the physical size, engine power, and engine displacement of kei cars. Keis have also been subject to other restrictions, such as lower speed limits, including a warning chime that goes off if being driven too fast. Kei cars are often available with
forced-induction In an internal combustion engine, forced induction is where turbocharging or supercharging is used to increase the density of the intake air. Engines without forced induction are classified as naturally aspirated. Operating principle Overv ...
engines, automatic and continuously variable transmissions, front-wheel drive and
all-wheel drive An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand. The most common forms of all-wheel drive are: ;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one ...
.


History


360-cc era (1949–1975)

The kei-car legal class originated in the era following the end of World War Two, when most Japanese could not afford a full-sized car, but many had enough money to buy a
motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle Steering, steered by a Motorcycle handlebar, handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: Long-distance ...
. To promote the growth of the car industry, as well as to offer an alternative delivery method to small business and shop owners, the kei- car category and standards were created. Originally limited to a displacement of only (or just 100 cc for two-stroke engines) in 1949, dimensions and engine size limitations were gradually expanded (in 1950, 1951, and 1955) to tempt more manufacturers to produce kei cars. In 1955, the displacement limit increased to for both
two-stroke A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being completed in one revolution of ...
and
four-stroke engine A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directi ...
s, resulting in several new kei-car models beginning production in the following years. These included the 1955 Suzuki Suzulight and the 1958 Subaru 360, the first mass-produced kei car, finally able to fill people's need for basic transportation without being too severely compromised. In 1955, the Japanese
Ministry of International Trade and Industry The was a ministry of the Government of Japan from 1949 to 2001. The MITI was one of the most powerful government agencies in Japan and, at the height of its influence, effectively ran much of Japanese industrial policy, funding research and ...
also set forth goals to develop a " national car" that was larger than kei cars produced at the time. This goal influenced Japanese automobile manufacturers to determine how best to focus their product development efforts for the smaller cars, or the larger "national car". The small exterior dimensions and engine displacement reflected the driving environment in Japan, with speed limits in Japan realistically not exceeding in urban areas. Keis were not allowed to be driven any faster than 40 km/h until the mid-1960s, when the kei speed limit was increased to . The class then went through a period of ever increasing sophistication, Rees, p. 78 with an automatic transmission appearing in the Honda N360 in August 1968, with front disc brakes becoming available on a number of sporting kei cars, beginning with the Honda Z GS of January 1970. Power outputs also kept climbing, reaching a peak in the Daihatsu Fellow Max SS of July 1970. Sales increased steadily, reaching a peak of 750,000 in 1970. Throughout the 1970s, the government kept whittling away at the benefits offered to kei vehicles, which combined with ever stricter emissions standards to lower sales drastically through the first half of the decade. Honda and Mazda withdrew from the contracting passenger kei-car market, in 1974 and 1976, respectively, although they both maintained a limited offering of commercial vehicles. Until 31 December 1974, kei cars used smaller license plates than regular cars . As of 1975, they received the medium-sized standard plates, which are . To set them apart from regular passenger cars, the plates were now yellow and black rather than white and green.


550-cc era (1976–1990)

Sales had been steadily declining, reaching a low-water mark of 150,000 passenger cars in 1975, 80% less than 1970 sales. Many were beginning to doubt the continued existence of the kei car, with both Honda and Mazda withdrawing in the middle of the 1970s. Emissions laws were another problem for the kei-car industry in the mid-1970s. From 1973 to 1978, emissions standards were to be tightened in four steps. Meeting the stricter standards, which were to be introduced in 1975, would be problematic for manufacturers of kei cars. This was particularly hard for Daihatsu and Suzuki, which focused on two-stroke engines, especially Suzuki, a relatively small company whose entire production consisted of two-stroke kei cars. Daihatsu, though, had both the engineering backing and powerful connections of their large owner, Toyota, to aid them in meeting the new requirements. All manufacturers of kei cars were clamoring for increased engine displacement and vehicle size limits, claiming that the emissions standards could not be met with a functional 360-cc engine. In the end, the Japanese legislature relented, increasing the overall length and width restrictions by and , respectively. Engine size was increased to , taking effect from 1 January 1976. The new standards were announced on 26 August 1975, leaving very little time for manufacturers to revise their designs to take advantage of the new limits. Most manufacturers were somewhat surprised by the decision; having expected a limit, they had already developed new engines to fit such restrictions. These new engines were quickly introduced, usually mounted within widened bodies of existing models. These interim versions (with displacements ranging between 443 and 490 cc) were "feelers", developed to see if indeed a continued market existed for the kei car. As sales improved, they only lasted for a model year or so until manufacturers had the time to develop "full-sized" engines. Only Daihatsu managed to avoid developing transitional engine versions that did not take full advantage of the new regulations. Kei-car sales remained stagnant, however, while combined passenger and commercial kei car sales reached 700,000 for the first time since 1974, the small cars still lost market share in a quickly growing market. As the kei cars became larger and more powerful, another benefit appeared, as exports increased considerably. In particular, export sales of trucks increased, while kei passenger car exports increased at a lower rate. In 1976, combined exports of kei cars and trucks were 74,633 (up 171% year-on-year), despite exports of passenger kei cars decreasing. In 1980, another record year occurred as exports climbed 80.3% (to 94,301 units), of which 77.6% were microtrucks. Nearly 17% of exports went to Europe, dwarfed by Chile, which took nearly a quarter of the exported keis. Due to the difficult economic environment, low-priced cars sold well and 1981 marked another successful year as Japanese midget car sales reached their highest since the 1970 record (at 1,229,809 units for cars and commercials). As the 1980s progressed, kei cars became increasingly refined, losing their utilitarian origins, as Japanese customers became ever better off. Features such as four-wheel drive, turbochargers, and air conditioning began to become available on kei-car models. Conversely, van versions of the small hatchbacks were now marketed to nonbusiness users, to take advantage of even lower taxation and laxer emissions rules; this move in the market was spearheaded by Suzuki with their 1979
Alto The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian ( Latin: ''altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruse ...
, and competitors soon followed suit, with the Subaru Family Rex and the Daihatsu Mira appearing within a year's time. In the 1980s, the speed limit for kei cars was . Government rules also mandated a warning chime to alert the driver if this speed were exceeded.


660-cc era (1990–2014)

The kei car regulations were revised in March 1990, allowing engines an increase of in displacement, and the overall car length to be increased by . These changes occurred during the 1990s Japanese economic bubble, and all manufacturers quickly developed new models to suit. Within five months, all the major models of kei cars had switched from 550- to 660-cc engines. For the first time, a power limit was also applied, in addition to the limit on engine size. This power limit of matched the highest output reached by any kei manufacturer at the time and was a gentlemen's agreement amongst the manufacturers in an effort to avoid a kei-class horsepower war. The only kei-engined car to have exceeded this limit was the Caterham 7 160, a lightweight British sports car that was not expected to qualify as a kei, though it is small enough (in dimensions and displacement) to fit the regulations. Its engine is rated at , and since that is how the car is homologated in the United Kingdom, the Japanese authorities told the importer that its power should remain unchanged. The addition of a power limit was a response to the ever-increasing power outputs available with turbocharging and multivalve technologies popularized in the late '80s. Engine technology was also shared with sport bikes, which are designed for rider enjoyment, and less so for fuel economy – going against the idea of small, people's cars and putting the kei cars' tax and structural advantages at risk of a governmental backlash. The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association also self-imposes a speed limit for kei cars of . In a rare example of an overseas mass-produced model being sold as a kei car in Japan, a kei version of the Smart Fortwo (called the Smart K) was sold at the Yanase dealerships in Japan from 2001 to 2004. The Smart K used revised rear fenders and reduced tire dimensions and track width to conform to kei-car regulations. The model was not a success, and it sold the fewest examples of a kei car when it was marketed. The
Suzuki Wagon R The is a kei car manufactured and marketed by Suzuki since 1993. The R in the name stands for Revolution and Relaxation. The Wagon R uses a "tall wagon" configuration to maximize cabin space within kei car dimensional restrictions. The Wagon ...
was the best-selling kei car in Japan from 2003 to 2008. Starting in 2011, Toyota entered the kei-car market for the first time. The resulting Toyota Pixis Space, a rebadged
Daihatsu Move Conte The is a kei car built by the Japanese automaker Daihatsu from 2008 to 2017. It was a cosmetic variation of the L175 series Move. It had two engine options: a naturally-aspirated 658 cc '' KF-VE'' and a turbocharged 658 cc '' KF-DET' ...
, was expected to increase competition in that market. Currently, Nissan and Mitsubishi jointly produce the Mitsubishi eK (also sold as the Nissan Dayz or Nissan Otti). Honda's kei-car line-up, the N-one, N-Box, and N-WGN, accounts for around a quarter of its overall sales.


Reduced incentives (2014–present)

In April 2014, the Japanese government significantly reduced advantages for kei-car owners, imposing higher sales tax, higher gasoline tax and a higher kei car tax – the last of which was raised by 50 percent – greatly reducing their tax benefits compared to regular-sized cars. Daihatsu, Honda, Suzuki and Nissan-Mitsubishi (through
NMKV NMKV Co., Ltd. is a joint venture company between Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and Mitsubishi Motors in the Japanese market to design, develop, and manufacture kei cars under Nissan and Mitsubishi brands. The company currently produces Mitsubishi eK ...
joint venture) are currently the only mass-production manufacturers of kei cars. Mazda sells rebadged Suzuki models, Toyota and Subaru sell badge-engineered Daihatsu models, while Nissan-Mitsubishi sourced their commercial kei models from Suzuki.


Electric kei cars

The electric version of the Mitsubishi i, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV was the first electric kei car. This was launched for fleet purchasers in 2009 in the Japanese domestic market. It became available to the wider public in 2010, also international sales started that year. The i-MiEV uses a permanent-magnet motor powered by a 16 kWh
lithium-ion A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery which uses the reversible reduction of lithium ions to store energy. It is the predominant battery type used in portable consumer electronics and electric vehicles. It also ...
battery pack. The models charge overnight in 14 hours from home 100-volt mains, or in 30 minutes from quick-charging stations installed at fleet locations. The range is using the U.S. EPA testing routine and using the Japanese Transport Ministry's testing routine. It was the world's first mass-produced electric car, and also the first electric car to sell more than 10,000 units. Rebadged and slightly updated variants of the i-MiEV were also sold in Europe by PSA Peugeot Citroën as the
Peugeot Peugeot (, , ) is a French brand of automobiles owned by Stellantis. The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was founded in 1810, with a steel foundry that soon started making hand tools and kitchen equipment, and then ...
iOn and
Citroën Citroën () is a French automobile brand. The "Automobiles Citroën" manufacturing company was founded in March 1919 by André Citroën. Citroën is owned by Stellantis since 2021 and previously was part of the PSA Group after Peugeot acquired 8 ...
C-Zero. In 2011, Mitsubishi launched MINICAB-MiEV; a battery electric version of the
microvan A microvan is a van or minivan which is within the Japanese kei car classification or similar, and is smaller than a mini MPV. In China, these vehicles are nicknamed ''mian bao che'' ("bread-loaf vehicle") because of their shape.
Minicab Taxicabs are regulated throughout the United Kingdom, but the regulation of taxicabs in London is especially rigorous with regard to mechanical integrity and driver knowledge. An official report observed that: "Little however is known about ...
, borrowing the drivetrain and key components from the i-MiEV. As of March 2015, and accounting for all variants of the i-MiEV, including the two minicab versions sold in Japan, over 50,000 units have been sold worldwide since 2009. The i-MiEV and rebadged versions are discontinued in all the markets now. In May 2022,
NMKV NMKV Co., Ltd. is a joint venture company between Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and Mitsubishi Motors in the Japanese market to design, develop, and manufacture kei cars under Nissan and Mitsubishi brands. The company currently produces Mitsubishi eK ...
launched the Nissan-badged Sakura and the Mitsubishi-badged eK X EV in the Japanese domestic market. These models have a 20 kWh
lithium-ion A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery which uses the reversible reduction of lithium ions to store energy. It is the predominant battery type used in portable consumer electronics and electric vehicles. It also ...
battery pack with an estimated
WLTC WLTC (103.7 Lite FM) is a radio station that is licensed in Cusseta, Georgia and serves the city of Columbus, Georgia and its metro area. It broadcasts an adult contemporary format.battery-electric A battery electric vehicle (BEV), pure electric vehicle, only-electric vehicle, fully electric vehicle or all-electric vehicle is a type of electric vehicle (EV) that exclusively uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs, wi ...
version of the Mitsubishi eK X, and the Sakura is an update to Nissan's Dayz line. As of June 2022, these are currently the cheapest battery EV from a major Japanese manufacturer sold as a new car; also eligible for EV purchase incentives in Japan.


Current taxation and insurance

The vehicle excise tax levy is 2% of the purchase price, compared to 3% for a regular car. An automobile weight tax also is levied: The amount is ¥13,200 and ¥8,800 for a three- and two-year period, respectively, as compared to the ¥18,900 and ¥12,600 charged for larger-sized passenger cars. The savings are thus more than 30% in both cases. This weight tax is paid after the vehicle has passed its safety inspection. The required road tax is based on the engine's displacement. A 24-month insurance contract typically costs ¥18,980 at the time of registration, versus ¥22,470 for a larger car.


Best-selling models


Gallery


360-cc era

File:Subaru360-1.jpg , Subaru 360
(1958–1970) File:Mazda-r360-coupe01.jpg ,
Mazda R360 The Mazda R360 is a kei car manufactured and marketed by Mazda as the company's first passenger car — a two-door, four-seat coupé. Introduced in 1960, the R360 featured a wheelbase, weighed and was powered by a rear-mounted air-cooled 35 ...

(1960–1969) File:1972 Daihatsu Fellow Max Hardtop TL.jpg , Daihatsu Fellow
(1970–1976) File:HondaN360.JPG , Honda N360
(1967–1972) File:HondaLifeStepvan.JPG , Honda Life Step Van
(1972–1974) File:Suzuki Fronte Coupe 001.JPG , Suzuki Fronte Coupé
(1971-1976)


550-cc era

File:Mitsubishi minica h21a lettuce 1 f.jpg, Mitsubishi Minica
(1962–2011) File:1979_Suzuki_Cervo_CX-G.jpg , Suzuki Cervo
Suzuki SC100 in export
(1977–1982) File:Subaru Sambar 401.JPG, Subaru Sambar
(1961–present)


Sport

File:MAZDA AZ-1.JPG, Autozam AZ-1
(1993–1995) File:HondaBeat.JPG,
Honda Beat The Honda Beat is a rear wheel drive, mid-engined two-seat roadster kei car produced from May 1991 until February 1996. The Beat was the last car to be approved by Soichiro Honda before he died in 1991. The total number of cars produced was aro ...

(1991–1996) File:SuzukiCappuccino.jpg,
Suzuki Cappuccino The is a small 2-door, 2-seater detachable hardtop sports car produced by Suzuki. Description The vehicle was designed to meet Kei car specifications for lower tax and insurance in Japan. Weighing , the Cappuccino is powered by a turbochar ...

(1991–1998) File:Daihatsu Copen 003.JPG, Daihatsu Copen
(2002–2012)


Present

File:Honda N-ONE RS 6MT (6BA-JG3) front.jpg,
Honda N-One The (corporately styled as N-ONE) is a retro-styled kei car produced by Honda for the Japanese market. It was previewed at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show and went on sale on 1 November 2012. Together with the N-Box, N-WGN and N-Van, is part of ...
File:Mitsubishi eK X space T 2WD (4AA-B35A-HXTTZ) front.jpg, Mitsubishi eK X space File:Suzuki WagonR HYBRID FX MH55S.jpg,
Suzuki Wagon R The is a kei car manufactured and marketed by Suzuki since 1993. The R in the name stands for Revolution and Relaxation. The Wagon R uses a "tall wagon" configuration to maximize cabin space within kei car dimensional restrictions. The Wagon ...
File:2019 Nissan Dayz X.jpg,
Nissan Dayz The Mitsubishi eK is a kei car series from Mitsubishi Motors, based on the long-running Minica, and first introduced on October 11, 2001. According to the company, the "''eK''" name stands for "excellent ''keijidōsha''" or "excellent minicar". ...
File:Mazda CAROL GX (DBA-HB36S) front.jpg, Mazda Carol File:Toyota PIXIS JOY F G Turbo"SA II" (DBA-LA250A-GBVZ) front.jpg, Toyota Pixis Joy


See also

* Kei truck


References


Further reading

* * {{Use dmy dates, date=September 2018 Road transport in Japan Car classifications 1949 introductions