Kei car - Revision history

64.85.229.248: /* July 8, 1949 */

2009-11-21T00:53:29Z

July 8, 1949

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:53, 21 November 2009
Line 10:		Line 10:
	*''Maximum width'' — 1 m		*''Maximum width'' — 1 m
	*''Maximum height'' — 2 m		*''Maximum height'' — 2 m
	*''Maximum [[engine displacement]]'' — 150 cc ([[Four-stroke cycle\|four-stroke]]), 100 cc; ([[Two-stroke cycle\|two-stroke]])		*''Maximum [[engine displacement]]'' — 150 cc ([[Four-stroke cycle\|four-stroke]]), 100 cc ([[Two-stroke cycle\|two-stroke]])

	===July 26, 1950===		===July 26, 1950===
	*''Maximum length'' — 3 m		*''Maximum length'' — 3 m

64.85.229.248: /* July 26, 1950 */

2009-11-21T00:52:58Z

July 26, 1950

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:52, 21 November 2009
Line 14:		Line 14:
	*''Maximum length'' — 3 m		*''Maximum length'' — 3 m
	*''Maximum width'' — 1.3 m		*''Maximum width'' — 1.3 m
	*''Maximum displacement'' — 300 cc; (four-stroke), 200 cc; (two-stroke)		*''Maximum displacement'' — 300 cc (four-stroke), 200 cc (two-stroke)

	===August 16, 1951===		===August 16, 1951===
	*''Maximum displacement'' — 360 cc; (four-stroke), 240 cc; (two-stroke)		*''Maximum displacement'' — 360 cc; (four-stroke), 240 cc; (two-stroke)

Red marquis: /* History of regulations */

2007-01-23T08:20:28Z

History of regulations

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:20, 23 January 2007
Line 11:		Line 11:
	*''Maximum height'' — 2 m		*''Maximum height'' — 2 m
	*''Maximum [[engine displacement]]'' — 150 cc ([[Four-stroke cycle\|four-stroke]]), 100 cc; ([[Two-stroke cycle\|two-stroke]])		*''Maximum [[engine displacement]]'' — 150 cc ([[Four-stroke cycle\|four-stroke]]), 100 cc; ([[Two-stroke cycle\|two-stroke]])
	===July 26 1950===		===July 26, 1950===
	*''Maximum length'' — 3 m		*''Maximum length'' — 3 m
	*''Maximum width'' — 1.3 m		*''Maximum width'' — 1.3 m
	*''Maximum displacement'' — 300 cc; (four-stroke), 200 cc; (two-stroke)		*''Maximum displacement'' — 300 cc; (four-stroke), 200 cc; (two-stroke)
	===[[August 16]], [[1951]]===		===August 16, 1951===
	*''Maximum displacement'' — 360 cc; (four-stroke), 240 cc; (two-stroke)		*''Maximum displacement'' — 360 cc; (four-stroke), 240 cc; (two-stroke)
	===[[April 4]], [[1955]]===		===April 4, 1955===
	* No further differentiation between two- and four-stroke: all up to 360 cc		* No further differentiation between two- and four-stroke: all up to 360 cc
	===[[January 1]], [[1976]]===		===January 1, 1976===
	*''Maximum length'' — 3.2 m		*''Maximum length'' — 3.2 m
	*''Maximum width'' — 1.4 m		*''Maximum width'' — 1.4 m
Line 27:		Line 27:
	*''Maximum width'' — 1.4 m		*''Maximum width'' — 1.4 m
	*''Maximum displacement'' — 660 cc		*''Maximum displacement'' — 660 cc
	===[[October 1]], [[1998]]===		===October 1, 1998===
	*''Maximum length'' — 3.39 m		*''Maximum length'' — 3.39 m
	*''Maximum width'' — 1.48 m		*''Maximum width'' — 1.48 m

Red marquis at 08:18, 23 January 2007

2007-01-23T08:18:44Z

New page

'''Kei car (K-car)''', also called '''''keijidōsha''''' (in Japanese: 軽自動車 ''light motor vehicle''), is a Japanese category of small [[automobiles]], including [[automobile|passenger car]]s, [[van]]s and [[pickup truck]]s. They are designed to exploit local tax and insurance relaxations, and are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is available for the vehicle. These standards originated in the times following the end of the Second World War, when most Japanese could not afford a full-sized car yet had enough to buy a motorcycle. To promote the growth of the car industry, as well as to offer an alternative delivery method to small business and shop owners, Kei car standards were created.

The cars feature yellow licence plates, earning them the name "yellow-plate cars" in English-speaking (black numbers on yellow background for private use and yellow numbers on black background for commercial use) and spanish circles .

Because the regulations only restrict physical size and engine power, manufacturers have introduced many advanced technologies to the class. As a result, kei cars are often available with [[forced induction]] engines, [[automatic transmission|automatic]] and [[continuously variable transmission|CVT]] transmissions, [[front wheel drive|front-]], [[rear wheel drive|rear-]] and [[four-wheel drive]], [[Hybrid car|hybrid drivetrains]], [[air conditioning]], GPS and many other features.

==History of regulations==
===July 8, 1949===
*''Maximum length'' — 2.8 m
*''Maximum width'' — 1 m
*''Maximum height'' — 2 m
*''Maximum [[engine displacement]]'' — 150 cc ([[Four-stroke cycle|four-stroke]]), 100 cc; ([[Two-stroke cycle|two-stroke]])
===July 26 1950===
*''Maximum length'' — 3 m
*''Maximum width'' — 1.3 m
*''Maximum displacement'' — 300 cc; (four-stroke), 200 cc; (two-stroke)
===[[August 16]], [[1951]]===
*''Maximum displacement'' — 360 cc; (four-stroke), 240 cc; (two-stroke)
===[[April 4]], [[1955]]===
* No further differentiation between two- and four-stroke: all up to 360 cc
===[[January 1]], [[1976]]===
*''Maximum length'' — 3.2 m
*''Maximum width'' — 1.4 m
*''Maximum displacement'' — 550 cc
===March, 1990===
*''Maximum length'' — 3.3 m
*''Maximum width'' — 1.4 m
*''Maximum displacement'' — 660 cc
===[[October 1]], [[1998]]===
*''Maximum length'' — 3.39 m
*''Maximum width'' — 1.48 m
*''Maximum height'' — 2 m
*''Maximum displacement'' — 660 cc
*''Maximum power'' — 64 hp (47kW)

==Kei car manufacturers==
* [[Daihatsu]]
* [[Honda]]
* [[Mazda]]
* [[Mitsubishi Motors|Mitsubishi]]
* [[Nissan]]
* [[Smart (automobile)|Smart]] (the only non-Japanese company)
* [[Subaru]]
* [[Suzuki]]

==See also==
* [[Bike engined car]]
* [[:Category:Kei cars|List of kei car models]]
* [[Microcar]]

==External links==
* [http://www.zenkeijikyo.or.jp Official association] 全国軽自動車協会連合会 (Japanese)
* [http://www.xs4all.nl/~mjs/mitsubishik.html History of regulations]

[[Category:Kei cars| ]]
[[Category:Car classifications]]