Kei truck

A Kei truck, or Kei class truck, or Japanese mini truck is a minitruck, a tiny but practical pickup truck available in RWD or 4WD version, built to satisfy the Japanese keijidōsha (軽自動車, "light vehicle") statutory class. They are known as Keitora (軽トラ, "light truck") in Japan alongside the microvan.

Design

The Kei truck class specifies a maximum size and displacement, greatly increased since legislation first enabled the type in 1949. The 1998 law admits a maximum length of 3.4 m (134 in), a maximum width of 1.48 m (58 in) and a maximum height of 2.0 m (79 in) with a maximum displacement of 660 cc. They weigh about 700 kg (1,500 lb), and when ungoverned can reach up to 120 km/h (75 mph). Due to the limits established with regards to vehicle length, most, if not all, current trucks in this classification are built with the "cab over" approach to maximize load carrying abilities. For export markets, kei trucks are usually fitted with bigger engines to allow them more useful carrying capabilities. An Indonesian version of the originally 543 cc Suzuki Carry is currently built with a 1.6 liter unit - nearly three times larger.