Past Gas #204: Kei Cars: How a WWII Loophole Created Japan's Tiny Cars

Past Gas by Donut Media

After the end of WWII, the world was eager to get back to work, and more specifically, back to makin’ cars. Japan was particularly ready to rebuild their economy, but were missing some crucial materials: steel, gasoline, and money. And as it turns out, the lack of those resources crafted the perfect storm for the creation of the Kei car. Often misunderstood, underappreciated, and forgotten, these minimobiles are some of the most fascinating examples of problem-solving in automotive history. How did they come about? Why did they stick around for so long? And perhaps most importantly, what are they?? Today on Past Gas, we’re talking about that quirkiest of automotive curiosites - the Kei car.

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