Businessupdated 7m ago2 min read
MapToyota Brings Back Scion KEI-01 Kei Truck, Assembled in Indiana for 2027
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KEI-01 assembled in Indiana in the second half of 2027. Scion by Toyota revival branding for KEI-01 in the U.S.
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Trump Pushes Kei Trucks
Toyota announced it will bring back the Scion brand with the KEI-01, a kei truck it plans to assemble at its Indiana plant in the second half of 2027. The KEI-01 will be built to meet federal safety requirements for low-speed vehicles, which limits the truck to a maximum speed of 25 miles per hour.
The KEI-01 will be offered through a limited rollout aimed at fleet customers rather than retail sales, with the company saying it may consider expanding availability to limited retail sales at a later date. The KEI-01 will be powered by a 660 cc three-cylinder gasoline engine and equipped with four-wheel drive, and it will be sold under the Scion by Toyota label.
Scion by Toyota Details
The KEI-01 measures just over 11 feet long and under 5 feet in width, and it will be right-hand drive. The KEI-01 will initially be sold through a limited pilot program aimed at fleet customers, including small businesses, farms, universities, and corporate campuses.
The KEI-01 will have a cargo bed that can carry up to 600 pounds and will feature a three-way fold-down cargo bed. The project will invest $34 million and add 50 jobs at Toyota’s Indiana plant.
Rules, Use Cases, and Next
The KEI-01 is designed to comply with federal low-speed vehicle safety requirements, and it will be restricted by state and local laws to roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less. The kei trucks could be used by small business owners, delivery fleets, farmers and ranchers as well as cities, universities and corporate campuses.
“Based on market conditions, customer demand, and operational considerations, Toyota may consider expanding availability to limited retail sales at a later date.”
HagertyThe company will relaunch Scion in the United States, and it may consider expanding availability to limited retail sales at a later date. The plan leaves the timing of broader sales tied to “market conditions, customer demand, and operational considerations,” while the KEI-01’s initial approach keeps it focused on fleet customers.