TL;DR
Get business pricing on garage and car supplies
- Business-only prices and quantity discounts
- Tax-exempt purchasing
- Multiple users, one account, clear invoices
NHK World recently reported from Pennsylvania, interviewing Americans about their kei trucks and the reasons they buy them. The report describes a growing import market, while registration rules remain different from state to state. It cites an estimate of 30,000 kei trucks imported to the United States over five years.
NHK World, Japan’s public broadcaster, recently sent a correspondent to Pennsylvania to interview Americans who own or sell kei trucks, highlighting practical reasons for their interest as well as continuing disputes over whether the imported vehicles can be registered for road use. The report features Lancaster Mini Truck dealer Jake Simpson and New York advocate Joey Iorio.
At Lancaster Mini Truck, a dealership that sells cab-forward kei trucks and other small imports, Simpson told the broadcaster that he bought his first mini truck five years earlier. He said the vehicle attracted attention whenever he stopped, with people asking about it and how they could get one. That interest helped prompt him to turn the hobby into a business, according to the report.
Simpson said he now imports about 15 to 20 trucks a month. He described them as a practical purchase, pointing to available four-wheel drive, fuel economy he put at around 40 miles per gallon, and selling prices of about $6,000 to $8,000. Those figures and assessments were presented in the report as Simpson’s account, not as independently verified measures of every kei truck.
The report also cited an estimate that about 30,000 kei trucks had been imported into the United States over the previous five years. It did not provide a separate estimate of how many are currently registered for road use. Kei vehicles are built to Japan’s compact-car category, with limits on dimensions and engine displacement; the source says those rules are associated with lower taxes and insurance in Japan.
Small Trucks, State-Level Rules
The interviews put a face on a niche import market that serves more than collectors: the owners featured describe using kei trucks as compact work vehicles. Their small footprint and claimed fuel economy may appeal to buyers seeking an alternative to full-size pickups, while the report’s bed comparison presents one practical selling point. Simpson said a kei truck’s bed was as long as that of a late-model Ram 3500 crew cab, and noted that the kei truck’s fold-down sides can make loading easier.
But federal import eligibility does not settle whether a vehicle can be driven on public roads in every state. That distinction affects buyers’ ability to use the trucks as intended and has prompted advocacy. The story therefore reflects both consumer interest and a patchwork of state registration rules, rather than a nationwide change in legal status.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Import Age and Registration Limits
According to the source report, federal rules allow a vehicle not originally certified for the U.S. market to be imported once it is at least 25 years old. That import rule is separate from state requirements for registering a vehicle for public-road use. The source notes that some states do not allow kei cars and trucks to be registered for that use, meaning owners may face different outcomes depending on where they live.
Joey Iorio, a co-founder of Empire State Kei Advocates, told NHK World he has contacted state senators in New York while seeking a change to the state’s rules. The report also points to Texas, which it says legalized kei cars the previous year after lobbying by enthusiasts. It does not detail the specific laws or conditions in each state.
“I got my first mini truck five years ago.”
— Jake Simpson, owner of Lancaster Mini Truck
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How Many Can Be Registered?
The report’s estimate of 30,000 imports over five years does not establish how many trucks remain in the country, are road-registered, or are used only on private property. The source does not provide the estimate’s methodology, state-by-state registration figures, or a full list of states where public-road registration is permitted or restricted.
It is also unclear whether New York will change its rules or when any legislative action could occur. The report gives Simpson’s figures for monthly imports, fuel economy, and pricing, but does not independently verify them or state how representative they are of the wider market.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Advocacy and State Decisions
The next developments depend in part on state-level rules and any legislative efforts to revise them. Iorio and Empire State Kei Advocates are seeking changes in New York, according to the report, but it gives no timeline for a decision. Buyers will need to check the rules where they live before purchasing, since meeting the federal age threshold does not by itself guarantee state registration for public roads.
The NHK World segment offers a snapshot of owners’ enthusiasm and the business forming around it. Further reporting would be needed to establish whether imports continue at the reported pace, whether more states change their policies, and how those rules affect actual registrations.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
What did NHK World report?
NHK World reported from Pennsylvania, interviewing kei truck owners and dealer Jake Simpson about their interest in the vehicles, as well as New York advocate Joey Iorio’s work on registration rules.
How many kei trucks have been imported to the United States?
The report cited an estimate of about 30,000 over the previous five years. It did not give the estimate’s methodology or say how many of those vehicles are registered for road use.
Can kei trucks be driven on public roads in every state?
No. The source says some states do not allow kei cars and trucks to be registered for public-road use. Rules vary by state, and the report does not provide a complete state-by-state list.
What does the 25-year import rule mean?
The source says vehicles not originally certified for the U.S. market can be imported once they are at least 25 years old. That federal import eligibility is separate from state rules for registering a vehicle for public-road use.
What does the report say kei trucks cost?
Dealer Jake Simpson said he sells them for about $6,000 to $8,000. The report attributes that price range to Simpson and does not establish it as a market-wide average.
Source: rss
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
