President Donald Trump has revealed plans for the introduction of ‘tiny cars’ in the United States, a move he announced with enthusiasm on Friday morning via Truth Social.

“I have just approved TINY CARS to be built in America,” Trump shared in his post. “Manufacturers have long aspired to do this, similar to the successful production seen in other countries. These vehicles can run on gasoline, electric, or hybrid power.”

Earlier this week, during a White House event focused on reversing gas emission standards implemented under Joe Biden, the president expressed his admiration for Japanese Kei cars. These compact, yet fully road-capable vehicles have caught his attention.

“They have a very small car. It’s sort of like the Beetle used to be with the Volkswagen,” Trump remarked on Wednesday.

The president’s interest in these miniature vehicles reportedly grew during his recent state visit to Japan, where he became particularly intrigued by the popular Kei cars.

Trump recently returned from a state visit to Japan where it is said he became fascinated by the little Kei cars.

‘They’re very small, they’re really cute. And I said, ‘How would that do in this country?’ And everyone seems to think good, but you’re not allowed to build them,’ Trump told reporters.

The fuel-efficient vehicles are popular in Asia as they are ideal for tight urban centers or narrow roadways and provide an alternative to bulkier models. The automotives have somewhat of a cult-following in the US as the compact roadsters have not been authorized to be made domestically until now. 

‘I have just approved TINY CARS to be built in America,’ the president wrote on Truth Social Friday morning

A Honda Motor Co. N-Box minicar sits on display during a media preview in Tokyo, Japan, on Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Smaller Kei cars are popular in Japan. They fit the narrow roadways and dense urban centers

‘These cars of the very near future are inexpensive, safe, fuel efficient and, quite simply, amazing,’ Trump’s post Friday said. 

‘Start building them now! Thank you to the DOJ and the Departments of Transportation and Environment. Enjoy!’

The proclamation opens the doors for models popular in Asian markets to come to the US. 

One popular mini truck, the Toyota Hilux, has long been sought after by US consumers. 

Honda, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Suzuki, Mazda and other Asian producers may decide to bring their Kei manufacturing to American shores. 

The move may bring additional manufacturing jobs to the US.

The cars were previously banned by federal transport regulators over safety concerns.

New-car prices have soared to an average $50,000 – up 30 percent since 2019 – and insurance rates have jumped even faster. 

The Toyota Hilux truck has long been sought by US consumers

Bandung Indonesia May 11 2024 yellow Daihatsu Copek convertible Kei Car in JDM Fest 2024

A small car drives on a street in Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan

‘Kei’ translates loosely to ‘lightweight’ or ‘value.’

The cars are engineered around the size constraint: engines are tucked under the seats, passengers sit shoulder-to-shoulder, there’s barely any crash structure, and the dimensions are small enough to make today’s Mini Cooper look swollen.

That’s why the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has long banned new Kei cars in the US for safety reasons.

They simply don’t meet crash standards, especially in a country where America’s best-selling vehicle weighs anywhere from 4,000 and 5,540 pounds.

Safety concerns haven’t stopped car enthusiasts and social media personalities.

A federal loophole lets drivers import any foreign car after its 25th birthday. That has turned the Kei market into an online bargain-bin treasure hunt.

Buyers ship in tiny 1990s vans and pickups for a few thousand dollars. In many cases, they spend more on shipping than on the car itself.

Still, the math beats almost anything on a dealer lot, where drivers are agreeing to an average of $6,000 down and $750 per month.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says he’s now ‘clearing the deck’ for federal approval – but even he admits the cars won’t survive on US highways.

‘Are they going to work on the freeways? Probably not,’ he told CNBC during a Thursday interview.

And since Trump hasn’t explained how federal rules would mesh with existing state laws, legal gray zones loom large.

So far, six states – Iowa, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont – outright ban the cars.

Meanwhile, dozens of other states restrict how and where the vehicles can be driven. Alabama, for example, caps Kei cars at 25 miles per hour.

Even if the cars roll out of US factories, automotive experts are also not confident in the market fit in the US.

American automakers haven’t built a small car in years. Right now, no Detroit Big Three brand builds a mass-market sedan or compact car.

A few hours before the Kei-car comments, Trump held a public meeting with executives from GM, Ford, and Stellantis to announce he was killing federal fuel-efficiency rules that have been in place for half a century.

The administration argues that ending the standards will knock about $900 off upfront vehicle costs.

But those same standards also meant drivers spent far less on gas over the life of their cars. One estimate pegged the savings at more than $9,000.

‘Loosening fuel-efficiency rules may look like a win at first glance,’ Sam Taylor, a business analyst at LLC.org, told the Daily Mail.

‘But the hidden cost is what we spend at the pump.’

Put together, it’s another whiplash moment for the industry: America may soon kill long-standing efficiency rules – and simultaneously open the door to its smallest, least-efficient-to-crash tiny imports ever.