Toyota is bringing its own version of Japan’s tiny pickup trucks to the United States.
Known as kei trucks, these miniature pickups have been popular in Japan and other parts of Asia for decades.
At roughly 11 feet long, they’re about half the length of some full-size American pickups. Their unusual size has earned them a following in the U.S., where enthusiasts on Reddit share photos of their own trucks and rare sightings of the tiny trucks.
Apparently, even President Donald Trump is a fan. After visiting Asia last year, Trump called Japan’s tiny vehicles “really cute” and pushed for them to be made in the U.S.
Now, there’s some good news for the president and other kei fans. Toyota announced Tuesday that it will start selling its own version of the mini trucks in the U.S. next year. But there’s a tiny catch.
The truck, called the KEI-01, will top out at just 25 mph.
Toyota says the truck is designed to meet federal safety requirements for low-speed vehicles, which are less strict than those for conventional cars and trucks. Unlike conventional vehicles, low-speed vehicles aren’t required to meet the same federal crashworthiness standards. State and local laws will determine where people can drive the KEI-01, but in many states, they’ll be restricted to roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less.
Toyota also says the truck will initially be sold through a limited pilot program aimed at fleet customers, including small businesses, farms, universities, and corporate campuses. Toyota told Gizmodo in an emailed statement that it will explore reatil sales at a later date depending on market conditions and customer demand.
The KEI-01 measures just over 11 feet long and under five feet wide, with a cargo bed that can carry up to 600 pounds. The right-hand-drive truck has a 660cc three-cylinder gasoline engine, an automatic transmission, and four-wheel drive. It also features a three-way fold-down cargo bed, an extended cabin with extra storage, and both heating and air conditioning.
Toyota plans to assemble the truck at its Indiana factory beginning in the second half of 2027, with a $34 million investment expected to create about 50 jobs. The company says it will announce pricing closer to the truck’s launch date late next year.
The KEI-01 will be sold under the Scion brand, which Toyota is reviving a decade after discontinuing it. This time around, Toyota says the Scion brand will be built around the “freedom to explore mobility in new ways.”
Toyota joins other carmakers and startups who are betting that tiny vehicles have a future in the U.S.
For instance, Fiat began selling its Topolino EV in the U.S. earlier this year. The roughly eight-foot-long EV starts at $13,995 and has a top speed of just 19 mph. Fiat has also announced plans for a conversion kit that would increase its speed to 25 mph. The company says the vehicle was designed for “life beyond crowded streets — from coastal drives and resort communities to private neighborhoods.”
Similarly, an electric vehicle startup co-founded by former Apple designer Julian Hoenig is making the same pitch. In June, the company unveiled its first vehicle, the Amble One, a lightweight electric buggy also designed for short trips.
While America’s trucks and SUVs keep getting bigger, it seems Toyota and other automakers are starting to see a growing market that’s looking for something smaller.
