History of the Mini Truck!


Kei truck, Keitora, or Japanese mini truck is a tiny but practical 4WD pickup truck, built to satisfy the Japanese keijidōsha 軽自動車 statutory class of light vehicles.

This class specifies a maximum size and displacement, greatly increased since legislation first enabled the type in 1949.  Each truck is approximately 11 ft. (3.4 m)long, with the box being 6’4”(1.95m)long on average. Hauling capacity is almost ½ ton.

Japanese Mini Trucks weigh about 1500 lbs (700 kg), and when ungoverned can reach up to 75 mph (120 kph).

Widely employed throughout Asia, used models have appeared in the US for off-road use typically by farmers and hunters, and in Canada they are allowed to be licensed and used as everyday vehicles once they have passed provincial certification inspections.

Japanese laws encourage surplussing vehicles after a relatively short life.  This has created the import opportunity to fill the consumers demand for very fuel efficient, affordable and practical vehicles.

Mini Trucks have fully enclosed cabs, seat belts, windshield wipers, AM radios, heaters, lights, and signals, and some of our customers have claimed gas mileage in excess of 60 MPG (22.4km/lt)!!

These mini trucks have fold down sides on the boxes, and are also available with hydraulic dump and scissor lifts, as well as van bodies. They are extremely versatile cab forward vehicles.

For more information on the history of these vehicles, click here.