The US has to fix the fuel efficiency laws so that small trucks don’t have huge environmental fees associated with them. So many contractors and others who need a truck but don’t want a modern behemoth would benefit.
Those are great. Just an engine, wheels, a seat and a truck bed - yet somehow they don’t pass California’s emissions laws, while (insert massive truck here) does?
Is it emissions or is it safety? B/c a lot of them don’t have the power for highway roads and lack basic safety (like seatbelts).
If it is emissions, it’s probably because it’s category-wrecking. They probably get pitted against other cars in a similar weight or wheelbase, and it’s designed to be far more utilitarian than most vehicles in that class.
I’d totally drive a Kei truck, I bet the fuel economy is great too. The big appeal for a light truck for me though is putting a cap on the back and keeping tools equipment back there, or going camping in it. Would make a decent van life experience in a pinch too. I used to have a Mazda B2000 like in the picture back in the 90s, easy to keep running and decent with gas, nothing but happy memories with it.
YES PLEASE. You can even make it electric. I just want a small truck with a full size bed. I don’t need all the other shit these overpriced monstrosities come with.
But they’re essentially illegal. CAFE standards are based on vehicle footprint since the late 2000s (you know - when they suddenly quit making small trucks). As the standards get stricter they just make trucks bigger to keep from failing to meet CAFE.
Though the benefit of the law is that the standard engine on the Ford Maverick is the hybrid, since having the ICE as the standard wouldn’t meet CAFE.
If the Maverick had been possible to obtain when my Colorado died last summer it’s definitely what I would have bought.
Instead I got an NV200 mini cargo van, and I’m pretty happy with it. Though the smash cargo vans just all got discontinued by all the manufacturers too because of CAFE.
You mean like a Kei Truck?
I think they’re so cute. Like they are out of a Lightning McQueen manga.
Those are great. Just an engine, wheels, a seat and a truck bed - yet somehow they don’t pass California’s emissions laws, while (insert massive truck here) does?
Is it emissions or is it safety? B/c a lot of them don’t have the power for highway roads and lack basic safety (like seatbelts).
If it is emissions, it’s probably because it’s category-wrecking. They probably get pitted against other cars in a similar weight or wheelbase, and it’s designed to be far more utilitarian than most vehicles in that class.
I’d totally drive a Kei truck, I bet the fuel economy is great too. The big appeal for a light truck for me though is putting a cap on the back and keeping tools equipment back there, or going camping in it. Would make a decent van life experience in a pinch too. I used to have a Mazda B2000 like in the picture back in the 90s, easy to keep running and decent with gas, nothing but happy memories with it.
IIRC they can get like 40mpg. Which isn’t great in comparison to some cars, but for a truck it’s pretty fuckin good.
YES PLEASE. You can even make it electric. I just want a small truck with a full size bed. I don’t need all the other shit these overpriced monstrosities come with.
But they’re essentially illegal. CAFE standards are based on vehicle footprint since the late 2000s (you know - when they suddenly quit making small trucks). As the standards get stricter they just make trucks bigger to keep from failing to meet CAFE.
Yes, that’s why I replied to a comment about the laws needing to change.
Though the benefit of the law is that the standard engine on the Ford Maverick is the hybrid, since having the ICE as the standard wouldn’t meet CAFE.
If the Maverick had been possible to obtain when my Colorado died last summer it’s definitely what I would have bought.
Instead I got an NV200 mini cargo van, and I’m pretty happy with it. Though the smash cargo vans just all got discontinued by all the manufacturers too because of CAFE.