Alaska has recently unlocked the key to happiness by passing a law to allow Japanese kei cars to be driven on its roads. passage of law, Shared by Alaska’s news sourceIt seems almost ridiculous timing as the Iran war has returned in full force (never actually ended) and gas prices have steadily climbed back to the painful highs the country experienced just a month ago.
A quick recap for those unfamiliar or ignorant on the subject of Japanese kei cars. Kei cars are small (small) freeway-legal cars with an engine size not exceeding 360 cubic-centimeters and making 65 horsepower. Kei cars have been relatively rare on American roads, due to a federal rule that forbids importing vehicles that do not meet US federal motor vehicle safety standards. However, this rule is basically considered invalid after 25 years (15 years for Canadian vehicles), thus the 25-year import rule has allowed these small cars to make their way from Japan to America and into our hearts.
So, to Alaska signed into law As of early July, small right-hand drive motor vehicles were no longer considered illegal. own in the state, but were banned Use. Most Alaska kei car owners can register their kei cars, vans, and trucks as all-purpose vehicles, just like you would an ATV, but that doesn’t mean they can roam freely on public roads like a regular car or truck. Now, they can travel the vast expanse of Alaska, and bring smiles for miles – the way your God intended.
Kei car can be the answer to everything
Alaska joins several states in legalizing imported vehicles on the roads today, including most recently Colorado, which could be a gift to state residents as the Iran war enters its latest phase and gas prices soar. According to AAA, the price of regular gas is averaging $4.68 per gallon at the time of this writing, having reached the $5.00 mark just a month ago. By having something like a kei car available to residents, their dollars would go much further not only in the price of the vehicle, but also in running errands similar to its American-sized counterpart. And they won’t have to endure the elements of Alaska’s cold winter on bike as they do at other affordable resorts.
In fact, it is a shame that most states have not come forward to legalize Kei cars on their roads. In an economy that is heading toward an impossible existence for most Americans, states could serve their constituents by literally giving them a “little” break and legalizing these somewhat affordable Japanese vehicles for use. American automakers who could make something comparable – but who continue to make huge trucks for huge profits – be damned.
The legality of a Kei car can not only make the existing one more bearable in an economical way, as someone who has had the first-hand experience of driving a Kei car, it will bring a smile to the face of everyone who sees or drives one. And this is a world I would love to be a part of, even if that dream seems far-fetched.
