Damning new report finds nearly all major car companies are actively sabotaging world’s efforts to avoid catastrophic global warming, and Japan companies are the worst.
There is a small market for kei cars, for private use and export. But the economies of scale required for making these top-sellers don’t exist without regulatory and tax reform in foreign markets.
Maybe in the US, but in Asia, a huge portion of sales for Honda, Toyota and Suzuki are for their modified kei cars. Even so, they still don’t seem interested in releasing their electric models there. This gap is currently filled by Chinese EV manufacturers.
Yeah that existing market is a good point, I’m used to Americans talking about wanting kei cars (and the discussions of finding 25 year old trucks in good condition lol). I’m sorry.
It might have to do with production limitations for EV models (perhaps in part because of the focus on hydrogen and delayed battery procurement contracts vs. competitors), and mature competition from Chinese suppliers. Even so, iirc the entire kei market is significantly smaller because they are so much cheaper and because even if some countries do accept them, they can’t be sold universally. Also I think Japan changed incentives several years back which might have impacted sales and profits trends. That all probably makes the economics of expanding EV offerings abroad challenging.
I think that if they could do it they would, but you are absolutely right that Japan is not the only market where kei cars are relatively cleared and common place. I think I’m on the same page now.
There is a small market for kei cars, for private use and export. But the economies of scale required for making these top-sellers don’t exist without regulatory and tax reform in foreign markets.
Maybe in the US, but in Asia, a huge portion of sales for Honda, Toyota and Suzuki are for their modified kei cars. Even so, they still don’t seem interested in releasing their electric models there. This gap is currently filled by Chinese EV manufacturers.
Yeah that existing market is a good point, I’m used to Americans talking about wanting kei cars (and the discussions of finding 25 year old trucks in good condition lol). I’m sorry.
It might have to do with production limitations for EV models (perhaps in part because of the focus on hydrogen and delayed battery procurement contracts vs. competitors), and mature competition from Chinese suppliers. Even so, iirc the entire kei market is significantly smaller because they are so much cheaper and because even if some countries do accept them, they can’t be sold universally. Also I think Japan changed incentives several years back which might have impacted sales and profits trends. That all probably makes the economics of expanding EV offerings abroad challenging.
I think that if they could do it they would, but you are absolutely right that Japan is not the only market where kei cars are relatively cleared and common place. I think I’m on the same page now.