So many conspiracy theories in these comments about why American manufacturers don't build smaller cars.
It's very simple, American Auto Companies are loan companies, not auto manufacturers.
Why would they produce a $10k go-kart with a useable bed when they can get people to finance a $110k SUV at 18% APR?
It's not about oil, or other resources, or even labor and tooling.
It's just much more profitable to put you into debt.
Especially because we are a captive market. Public transport is essentially non existent in most areas. You have to get a car, and you have to take a loan on it. Without a car, a lot of places won’t even hire you.
I've noticed that Americans do not consider using an armed rebellion against evil corporate practices but talk about 2A rights all the time.
but talk about 2A rights all the time.
Most of the 2A talks come from people who want to start evil corporations.
No armed rebellion is complete without a technical built from a Toyota Hilux, which we sadly only get the slightly larger variant, the Tacoma.
why aren't they allowed now?
us auto industry has reletively higher crash saftey requirements. part of the reason why everythings so damn big.
the kei trucks are basically rear end death traps if you hit US sized vehicles.
its why the only ones you can legally drive in some states are the ones that pass the 25 year car import law.
some areas explicitly ban it (e.g NYC i believe)
EU: Your truck is unsafe because it is unusually large and has razor sharp edges at head height.
US: Your truck is unsafe because it is too small to withstand a direct hit from one of our super safe giant axe head shaped cars.
No pre installed firearms... Very unsafe...
the good, the bad, and the dodge ram.
"The only way to protect yourself from a giant truck is to have your own giant truck"
Now where have I heard of this logic before? 🤔
I understand now allowing them on the freeways, but they're perfect for cities with their smaller footprint and lower driving speeds. These aren't allowed in NYC, but Escalades are?
I don't understand how states can ban an otherwise legal vehicle
They don't make inflated profits for US companies. That's what this is about
Because they used emissions standards in the 80s to remove light trucks from the market. Which is why everything is bigger now, blowback: unintended consequences of shitty legislation.
We citizens need to change the laws to highly tax those oversized vehicles. And we should make them commercial use only. Average people don't need huge trucks. K-cars are quite cool.
I feel like the gas and the monthly cost of the loan they took out against their mortgage is probably tax enough.
I genuinely believe most of these super-truck owners already have one foot in the financial grave and are just in denial about it.
Clearly not, because these dickheads are out there driving vehicles that are way over-specced for their use cases, all because they have tiny penises and need to compensate! Some of these things are that tall that you can't see an average height adult standing in front of the grill from the drivers seat.
This is an echo back to the 70s, when gas prices were high and there were strict controls over Japanese economy cars. Why didn't American manufacturers make smaller cars? Well, "no one wanted them" was the line. Miraculously almost as soon as those same Japanese cars started to be allowed on our streets, suddenly Detroit figured out how to make them and dragged them kicking and screaming into the next eras.
Good companies innovate to keep their customers. Bad companies legislate to keep their customers.
Which one do you think is happening more today?
I mean, it's probably not safe in a crash at highway speeds (if it can even reach those speeds), but then neither are motorbikes and we allow those...
It's got to be better for the environment and wallet than those stupid Ford monster trucks. Especially since these would only attract people who actually need to carry large amounts of stuff about, rather than those who once needed to transport a fridge four years ago.
Those huge trucks are also not save in any crash. At least for the other person.
Any crash involving an "american sized" car will be worse than two of these small trucks coliding
Getting hit by one of those trucks at 30 MPH has as much force as a Honda civic at 55 MPH.
Fuck modern pickups.
A Honda civic weights ~1100kg. The kinetic energy of a vehicle is proportional to v^2^. Therefore, a vehicle going at 30MPH delivering the same kinetic energy as a Honda civic at 130MPH needs to weigh in at 130^2^/30^2^*1100kg or 20tons. Modern American trucks are too big and heavy but not that big and heavy I think
You're not allowed to drive those? Why not?
Edit: article touches on it. Low top speed and missing safety features. They aren't fit for highways but not all roads are highways, so outright bans are stupid.
I would kill for one of these trucks, its so fucking stupid that they are banned
I'd go for it with a slight caveat: They need to uprate the engines a bit so they can cruise on US highways at US highway speeds. While they can reach 75mph ungoverned, you generally don't want to run an ICE at close to its limit. That's why you aim for 85-100mph max speed for US highways; it means it'll be running efficiently cruising at 60-70mph.
Fortunately, this shouldn't be difficult. The engines would likely be capable of it with a little tuning or extra turbocharger boost. And going electric makes it all a non-issue.
This passed a couple days ago and will be signed by the Governor today! Takes effect July 2027.
These trucks work pretty great up here in Seattle and the surrounding areas. They hold very close to as much as a full size American 8ft truck, plus a lot of em have sides which fully fold down.
These are all over the place in Victoria. It's still idiots in big pickups that are smoking all the pedestrians. Weird huh?
This is what is so dumb. Safety is only ever considered for the people INSIDE the vehicle. It's insane.
For three years we've used this GEM[global electric motors] LSV[low speed vehicle] as our primary vehicle.
Legally I'm restricted to roads with 35mph speed limits or less, my maximum legal speed is 25mph, I never bothered to modify the top speed. I'm registered & insured in Reno. Driving the GEM is like towing a trailer, if the line of cars forms behind me, I pull over & let them pass
Maybe 4 times a year someone rage passes me & generally ends up waiting next to me at the next light
With the lumber rack, beacon & safety triangle, I probably appear to be a city or university worker.
The notion that everyone must drive at or above the speed limit isn't true in my experience. Every trip does not require getting on a limited access highway & blasting along at 70 mph. The time saved is minimal,
Small mistakes become serious accidents at higher speeds
Every vehicle forum I've ever been on has a large contingent of Boys who want their toys to go fast.
The older model Kei mini trucks is too short & narrow to go faster than 40 mph or so safely. Making it wider reduces the ability to lane split :D
Maybe US car manufacturers could, y'know, make their own compact trucks? 😀
American Auto Manufacturers are run by ancient douche bags that are desperately holding on to the past.
No, they're run by ancient douche bags that are constantly finding loopholes in the current laws that allow (if not encourage) them to make bigger vehicles.
If they were desperately trying to hold onto the past, the new Ford Ranger reboot wouldn't be nearly the same size as an F-150.
This is COMMUNISM! TRUE FREEDOM is FORCING us to use OVERSIZED Cars that use a LOT of EXPENSIVE Gas! ANYTHING else is WOKE!
Considering?! Just fuckin’ do it, who does it hurt?
It hurts GM and Ford. They don't want competition! And worse yet they don't even build anything to compete with kei trucks! Think of the shareholders, you monster!
Thank you Colorado
If you go look at most places where people regularly use trucks for actual work in the US like construction or agriculture, pretty much the only ones driving the newest and most luxurious new trucks are the bosses while the actual workers use older and more practical vehicles. And a lot of those fancy trucks have so little bed space that I can hold more shit my friends Subaru Outback. And I say give me the tiny truck that can parallel park.
I live in Japan and drive a kei-car that's kinda like a van. 660cc engine (my motorbike is 400cc). I plan on probably eventually getting one of the trucks like in the thumbnail for my farm business. Ask me anything, I guess, if you have questions about them.
Should've been okay from the start.
But isn't that the story of America? Making things illegal that would prevent you from maximizing profits to the detriment of every one of your countrymen.
I don't know about other country, but this truck rider in my country (Indonesia) are relatively safe.
People usually using this for everything, like portable shop, human transportion on the back (only legal on small village or remote area), etc.
I still remember riding one on the back for scout activities :)
There is a reason the guy in the article bought a 1990. The US has a 25 year rule for importing vehicles that weren’t sold here. These became legal in Utah a few years ago because they made off road side by sides legal as long as you made some modifications (horn, turn signals, mirrors, etc). There’s a particular weight range they need to fall between. They also have to hold the same insurance requirements and registration as any other road vehicle. I don’t think they can be used on any road above 45.
They banned fucking tuktuks?!
How the hell am I supposed to be Cruisin' USA without my Sardine Supreme?
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