• doom_and_gloom@lemmy.ml
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          6 months ago

          There is a small market for kei cars, for private use and export. But the economies of scale required for making these top-sellers don’t exist without regulatory and tax reform in foreign markets.

          • redcalcium@lemmy.institute
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            6 months ago

            Maybe in the US, but in Asia, a huge portion of sales for Honda, Toyota and Suzuki are for their modified kei cars. Even so, they still don’t seem interested in releasing their electric models there. This gap is currently filled by Chinese EV manufacturers.

      • grue@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        You say that as if Americans don’t want kei cars, but we do. Even rural off-roading Youtubers (who would probably be revealed to be ultraconservative if they didn’t keep their politics out of their videos) love things like Suzuki Samurais and Subaru Sambars.

        • doom_and_gloom@lemmy.ml
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          6 months ago

          They can usually be imported for private use, but kei cars aren’t street legal for most consumer purposes in the US. Which means they would be selling to a very small market. The very few that end up getting sold in Europe are usually modified versions designed for export is another limiting factor.

          • grue@lemmy.world
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            6 months ago

            but kei cars aren’t street legal for most consumer purposes in the US

            Speak for your own state.

    • Etterra@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Well to be fair, trying to sell anything with the word mini in it in America is it uphill struggle; if there’s one thing us Americans hate, it’s walking uphill.