21/02/2013
You may or may not have seen these very tiny little cars running around town or on farms recently. These are known as Kei cars (pronounced as in "Kay") in Japan.
These vehicles usually have a 660cc engine or a 550cc engine. They look slightly bigger than a match box car, but half the size of a normal car. You can see them as small hatchback cars or as small trucks or small vans. Most manufacturers make them, except Toyota, which delegates their models to its subsidiary, Daihatsu. Although initially the vehicles were designed for a little run-around for the wife to pick up the kids or do some shopping, they are now being built slightly larger and more comfortable to be used as a main vehicle. With the cost of fuel going up each year, more and more Japanese drivers are looking at more fuel efficient vehicles at an affordable price, and comfortable size. Many businesses favour the small trucks and vans for local deliveries as it cuts down on fuel costs dramatically. As much as it may seem strange to you, these vehicles are destined for the overseas market in great volumes in the near future, as they are the answer to saving costs on fuel.
I, myself have two vehicles, a 7 seater station wagon with a 2.4ltr petrol engine, and a small Kei car with a 660cc engine. The big station wagon is used when I need to go on long trips whilst we use the Kei car to run around town, dropping the kids off at school, shopping, visiting the relatives nearby, or small jobs. We have saved a lot on fuel costs using ou Kei car. The Kei car fits four people comfortably and is very efficient on fuel running around at an average of 14km per litre. You will find this kind of vehicle will be most popular in the very near future as a second car for the wife, or the young child who just got his or her drivers license. These cars come in 2WD or 4WD, various designs and shapes, and many trendy colours.
The commercial Kei cars are a big hit in countries like New Zealand, America, and most of Asia. The Kei trucks are used mostly on farms in those countries. Since you don't need to register a vehicle if used soley on the farms, the import duty and costs in some countries for a Kei truck is very low. Most Kei trucks have 4WD functions, making them very useful for farm work. They can carry up to 400kg in load on the back decks, as well as house two people in the cabin in air-conditioned comfort. This makes a huge difference to those who used to ride on motorbikes around the farms to do their chores. It doesn't matter whether it's pouring rain, or blazing hot summer, the Kei trucks allow farmers and their workhands to do their jobs more effectively. Even for small businesses in town, the Kei trucks and vans are ideal for local deliveries, cutting fuel costs, and allowing for easy access and parking in most places. You can imagine the waste and cost of delivering less than half a load on the back of your 2 ton truck, when a small Kei truck is more than sufficient.
Hybrid vehicles are also becoming popular for fuel efficient cars, however the purchase prices are much more expensive, and there is the inconvenience of changing the hybrid batteries every 8 years at a cost of around US$2,000 each time. The savings on fuel only apply to hybrid vehicles when the vehicle has travelled more than 10,000km per year. Otherwise, mileage under 10,000km per year does not warrant the fuel savings compared to the higher purchase price and the cost of replacing the hybrid battery. As well, only countries that have dealerships capable of maintaining hybrid vehicles, can be targeted for export markets. Without the special mechanical equipment, no mechanic will be able to service or repair a hybrid vehicle. Toyota and Honda usually restrict that equipment to its own dealerships and service centres. Of course there is the merit of protecting the Earth's environment with hybrid vehicles, so one can look at the extra costs as part of their effort to reducing pollution.
My name is James Hanna and I have been writing articles about the used car export industry in Japan for many years now. I have recently started exporting used vehicles from Japan under my own company name, Jeks. So please check my new homepage and facebook (www.jekscars.com).
James Hanna
Jeks Cars, Japan.
Used car exporter JeksCars sells genuine Japanese vehicles at cheap prices. Used Japanese vehicles, used Japanese trucks, used Japanese vans, used Japanese buses, we export worldwide!
