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☆ Japan can't get enough of tiny vehicles. Here's Honda's latest: a $15,500 miniature EV truck.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-14 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Honda has unveiled the N-VAN e, a tiny electric truck costing from $15,500. The diminutive truck is targeted at delivery companies and goes on sale in Japan in October. Japan is famous for its tiny Kei cars, which are ideal for short journeys and city driving. Now, Honda is getting into the tiny EV game. The Japanese automaker has unveiled the N-VAN e, a miniature electric truck that starts at 2.44 million yen ($15,500).

Persons: —, Nissan Organizations: Honda, Service, Kei, Bloomberg Locations: Japan, Tokyo

☆ These tiny EVs are making a big impact
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Here are some of the tiny EVs making a splash in Asia and Europe. AdvertisementChief among those is the Seagull, a tiny EV that can go 305 km on a single charge and costs $11,000. SOPA Images/Getty ImagesJapan has long had a soft spot for tiny EVs, known as Kei cars — and the Nissan Sakura is one of the most popular. BITechnically speaking, the Citroen Ami isn't an electric car at all, but an "electric quadricycle." The tiny microcar has been on sale in Europe since 2021, with a UK launch mooted for later this year.

Persons: —, Nissan Sakura, Tesla, Aly Song, Reuters BYD, Elon, HECTOR RETAMAL, Citroen Ami, Citroen Ami isn't, Ami, Merlin Ouboter Organizations: Service, Nissan, Tesla, Ford, Business, Reuters, SAIC, General Motors, Japan, Citroen, BI, Getty Locations: China, Japan, Europe, Asia, Guang, Shanghai, France, London, Swiss

TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese automaker that cheated on safety tests for decades said Monday it doesn't expect to resume shipping cars any time soon. The Japanese government ordered a subsidiary of Toyota to halt production of its entire lineup after reports of faked safety test results emerged last year. The Daihatsu Motor Co. skipped mandatory safety tests by copying data from testing on one side of cars to the other, and used timers to ensure airbags went off in tests, a review found. An investigation including third-party experts found 174 cases of faked tests affecting dozens of models, including cars sold under the Toyota Motor Corp. nameplate. The review found that cheating went back 30 years.

Persons: —, Keita Ide, Soichiro Okudaira, truckmaker Hino, Akio Toyoda, Toyota’s, ” ___ Yuri Kageyama Organizations: TOKYO, Toyota, Daihatsu, Co, Toyota Motor Corp, Toyota Industries Corp

☆ I was shocked by all the tiny vehicles I saw in Japan. Here are my top 16 'Kei' vehicles.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Here are the most interesting tiny cars I saw on a recent trip to Japan, along with my top pick. Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and other locations were awash with tiny "kei" trucks, cars and vans. Kei cars are also lighter, so even though most are still gas-powered, they are efficient. For passengers, these small vehicles may not perform as well as big vehicles in crashes. Still, I was won over by these kei cars.

Persons: Kei, —, Suzuki Organizations: Service, Daihatsu, Toyota Locations: Japan, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Japanese

☆ This $13,000 microcar is outselling Teslas in Japan. Here's what drivers love about it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Drivers told Insider the tiny car is a "blast" to drive and perfect for driving in busy cities. AdvertisementAdvertisementJapan's best-selling EV is a tiny car that sells for just $13,000 — and drivers have told Insider exactly what they like best about it. "A smaller electric car is more sustainable and suits a lot of people's actual driving needs. I think that's at least partly why bigger electric cars, like Teslas, are not so popular here," he added. "I think Japanese automakers underestimated the appeal of electric cars here for a long time," he said.

Persons: Nissan Sakura, —, Sakura, Nissan, Michael Brown, Brown, Michael, RICHARD A, BROOKS, Tesla Organizations: Nissan, Drivers, EV, Service, Bloomberg, Mitsubishi, Reddit, Toyota, Honda, Suzuki Locations: Japan, Higashimurayama City, Tokyo

☆ Forget Tesla – this $13,000 tiny car is Japan's best-selling EV
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The $13,000 "Kei car" has left rivals such as Tesla in the dust. Mini "Kei trucks" are taking off in the US, with some being sold for as little as $5,000. AdvertisementAdvertisementTesla may dominate the global EV market — but for drivers in Japan, a $13,000 tiny car is proving a better investment. Their cousins, Kei trucks, have become increasingly in demand in the US in recent years. Kei trucks such as the Daihatsu Hijet have become increasingly popular in the US.

Persons: —, minicar, Sakura, Nissan Sakura, Elon, Kei, Warren, TORU YAMANAKA, Suzuki Organizations: Bloomberg, Service, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Tesla, Daihatsu, EV Locations: Japan, America

☆ A woman who's just 5'3" says her mini Honda truck that cost $5,500 is 'perfect for me'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An Alabama woman bought a Kei truck for her honey bee business. Cindy Bryant paid $5,500 for her Honda Acty, joining other Americans buying mini trucks. Sometimes, Kei truck owners are forced to take a leap of faith and buy from importers, not seeing the vehicle until it arrives. But Bryant spotted a Honda truck on Marketplace from a seller she'd dealt with before on the site. She uses the Kei truck to cater for her 18 hives, each housing at least 50,000 bees.

Persons: Cindy Bryant, Honda, Cindy Bryant's, Bryant, hadn't, Kei, she's, Honey, They're, Kei Car, Matthew Matusiak, She's Organizations: Ford, Facebook, General, Honda, Bee Association, Japan Locations: Alabama, Arley , Alabama, Smith

☆ This woman bought a mini Kei truck on Facebook for her honey business and says it's perfect for her 5'3" frame
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An Alabama woman bought a Kei truck on Facebook Marketplace to run her honey business. Cindy Bryant bought a Honda Acty in March for $5,500, joining other Americans buying mini trucks. Sometimes, Kei truck owners are forced to take a leap of faith and buy from importers, not seeing the vehicle until it arrives. She uses the Kei truck to cater for her 18 hives, each housing at least 50,000 bees. Do you own a Kei truck?

Persons: Cindy Bryant, Cindy Bryant's, Bryant, hadn't, Kei, she's, Honey, They're, Kei Car, Matthew Matusiak, She's Organizations: Facebook, Honda, Ford, General, Bee Association, Japan Locations: Alabama, Arley , Alabama, Smith

☆ These tiny Japanese pick-up trucks that cost about $5,000 are winning fans in America
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tiny Japanese trucks that cost as little as $5,000 are winning over some Americans. It's not just tiny homes taking America by storm – now tiny trucks made in Japan are becoming increasingly popular too. The tiny trucks are a common sight on Japanese roads, but they've also won over some Americans wanting a versatile, compact – and cheap – vehicle. The cheapest Kei truck sold by Japan Car Direct is about $5,000, with shipping costs accounting for much of that sum. Japan Car Direct and its competitors will walk customers through the import process, which requires several forms to be completed.

Persons: they've, It's, Kei, Subaru Sambar, Suzuki, Matt Matusiak, we've, Matusiak, there's Organizations: Japan, Morning, Daihatsu, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Honda, Nissan, of Transportation, Environmental Protection, Vehicles, Twitter Locations: America, Japan, Pennsylvania

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