In the USA there is a vehicle class called NEV, Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, that are restricted to 25 mph ~ 40 kph and local city streets, and my understanding is that in Japan the kei class have similar restrictions, though not quite so onerous. Though the i-Miev did sell in the US and was highway capable, so I don’t claim that kei cars can’t be.
I am not sure what all of the requirements are to move a vehicle out of the NEV category and into the general purpose motor vehicle category. It wouldn’t surprise me if crash test standards factored in somehow. And, obviously, it has to be able to reach highway speeds.
I say that it needs to be highway capable to be successful in the US because US suburbs tend to be connected by highways, and any time you want to go somewhere you need to get on a 55 mph road. For example I do that to get to the grocery store 2 miles away. Sometimes you can stick to slower streets but not always; my local quiet country roads are 45 mph so a NEV wouldn’t be allowed on them.
In the USA there is a vehicle class called NEV, Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, that are restricted to 25 mph ~ 40 kph and local city streets, and my understanding is that in Japan the kei class have similar restrictions, though not quite so onerous. Though the i-Miev did sell in the US and was highway capable, so I don’t claim that kei cars can’t be.
I am not sure what all of the requirements are to move a vehicle out of the NEV category and into the general purpose motor vehicle category. It wouldn’t surprise me if crash test standards factored in somehow. And, obviously, it has to be able to reach highway speeds.
I say that it needs to be highway capable to be successful in the US because US suburbs tend to be connected by highways, and any time you want to go somewhere you need to get on a 55 mph road. For example I do that to get to the grocery store 2 miles away. Sometimes you can stick to slower streets but not always; my local quiet country roads are 45 mph so a NEV wouldn’t be allowed on them.