this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2026
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Mildly Interesting

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[–] krigo666@lemmy.world 91 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They should export, or licence to fabricate, to other continents.

[–] yakko@feddit.uk 123 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Imagine how great if Mexico became an auto export giant by just making one reasonable normal EV

[–] 0ops@piefed.zip 43 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Honestly a lot of cars are already made in Mexico, just badged with an American logo

[–] nilloc@discuss.tchncs.de 14 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Or VW. They’ve be making licensed Jettas and Golf for decades, not to mention all the classic Beetles for so long.

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[–] im_fine_sandy@nord.pub 12 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I can imagine a future in which these become more common in the US than ridiculous US trucks.

[–] nilloc@discuss.tchncs.de 10 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I can’t, especially not with the chicken tax and the right wing’s apparent need to burn diesel fuel to prove how patriotic they are.

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[–] Baguette@lemmy.blahaj.zone 65 points 1 month ago (6 children)

Looks like a Kei truck, love those things

[–] waterSticksToMyBalls@lemmy.world 64 points 1 month ago (3 children)
[–] Baguette@lemmy.blahaj.zone 46 points 1 month ago (33 children)

Kei trucks are japan origin work trucks that are basically if you shrank a semi truck cab to be a pickup truck

You might spot a few for tasks like delivery to local grocery stores

Imo way more respectable than pickup trucks, those went from working trucks to manoverse fake masculinity

[–] mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works 18 points 1 month ago (2 children)

There's a guy on Youtube who's designing an open source kei truck right now. He's planning on selling kits once the design work is done

[–] zalgotext@sh.itjust.works 15 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You can't just say that and not stop a link, or a name

[–] Grass@sh.itjust.works 15 points 1 month ago (1 children)

probably this? I haven't watched it but it keeps coming up in my feed

https://youtu.be/tlZlyp55dww

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[–] banshee@lemmy.world 8 points 1 month ago

Kei trucks are so much fun - wish I had one! Sure they don't have enough power to pull a hat off your head, but they're a blast to drive around.

On a side note, it's pretty entertaining trying to drive one in full chem gear 😄

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[–] daychilde@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

¿Qué truck?

(a nice reliant automobile)

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[–] SlurpingPus@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Italy had a similar thing going on after WW2, when the economy was in the shitter. Piaggio Ape is a light commercial truck that is actually a Vespa scooter with three wheels, cabin and a box or bed. Cheap and does its thing. They're in continuous production since 1948, also made in India. (A fun detail: 'vespa' means wasp, while 'ape' means 'bee'.)

There are/were various configurations, including curiously a firetruck model of the Ape Pentarò semi:

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[–] apftwb@lemmy.world 55 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Can we import this into the US? 👉👈

[–] username_1@discuss.tchncs.de 23 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Can't you just ask Trump to rename some diesel pickup to EV? Would be easier.

[–] Rocketpoweredgorilla@lemmy.ca 15 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Trump branded ev... $100 says it would run on coal.

[–] ZeroCool@piefed.ca 18 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Bold of you to assume a Trump branded vehicle would run at all!

[–] jubilationtcornpone@sh.itjust.works 12 points 1 month ago (2 children)
[–] daychilde@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Only $10,000 to reserve one!

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[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 12 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I think chicken tax is for overseas only? So maybe?

[–] daychilde@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago

BTW, to anyone who thinks this is some sort of random joke: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_Tax

[–] ___@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 1 month ago

I doubt it. Mexico doesn't adhere to NHTSA FMVSS standards, unlike Canada and the US. This is why Mexico has foreign brands like Renault, Peugeot, MG, etc that the rest of North America* doesn't get. Mexico also continued to sell the 1990 version of the Tsuru (Sentra/Sunny) in base, no airbags until 2017, which wouldn't have been legal in the US past 1998.

*excluding St Pierre and Miquelon

[–] Kaligalis@lemmy.world 8 points 1 month ago

Sorry, that would endanger patriotic US workers' job safety. So no reasonable EVs for you.

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[–] SabinStargem@lemmy.today 37 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I think this sort of project is a thing that all governments should adopt. These products set a baseline for affordability and performance, against which commercial competitors would have to compete against. This essentially creates a more ideal capitalism, without requiring direct pricing controls.

Also, the government providing baseline products is good for the important part of the economy: getting realworld stuff done. Cargo can't move itself, and we want people to minimize the amount of energy and time spent doing everything. By freeing up time and money, people can use these resources for raising family, forming bonds, and engaging in hobbies.

Nations should work towards ensuring that all their citizens can live their best lives.

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[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 36 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Mexico knows how to do autos for most of their citizens, not just the upper-middle class like the rest of N. America.

[–] FatVegan@leminal.space 22 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Tgey want own their cars and not lease a 98k dollar truck they can't afford so people think they can afford a 98k dollar truck

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[–] Fredthefishlord@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Car centric society is just bad period.

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[–] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 21 points 1 month ago (1 children)

US automakers: ban the import!

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[–] RickyRigatoni@piefed.zip 19 points 1 month ago
[–] CactusEcho@piefed.social 17 points 1 month ago

This is the way. Nicely priced and small and usefull. Viva Mexico!

[–] Rato@sh.itjust.works 14 points 1 month ago

Hell yeah, an electric Mexican Kei truck.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago

Eating Ford's lunch seven ways from Sunday

[–] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 13 points 1 month ago (4 children)

It looks like, basically, a north american KEI truck?

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[–] Jerb322@lemmy.world 13 points 1 month ago (4 children)

I didn't see how fast it can go. 74.5 miles(120km) and almost 1500lbs(650kg), this would handle most of my personal driving around if can do at least near 60mph(96.5km/h)

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[–] GregorGizeh@lemmy.zip 12 points 1 month ago

If i had to have a car, i'd probably get one like this. Small and urban but with a little extra cargo space.

[–] pucker4676@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

STATE SPONSORED PICKUP. Scary.

But at what cost?!

[–] glitch1985@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago (1 children)

$10K Did you even read the headline?

[–] pucker4676@lemmy.ml 16 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Yes? It was a jab at western media.

Here's an explanation.

[–] watson387@sopuli.xyz 9 points 1 month ago

That's great to hear. I hope they do well.

[–] Rocketpoweredgorilla@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 month ago

It's almost like an electric wheelbarrow with a cab. I like it.

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