United States President Donald Trump has shown strong interest in Kei cars (compact cars) during his visits to Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea. That interest has now progressed into action, with the US approving regulatory changes that allow American manufacturers to produce such compact vehicles domestically.
According to him the compact cars in these countries are very cute an d resembles the Volkswagen Beetle. He also stated that the fuel-efficient vehicles will do good in the US when announcing new US fuel economy standards in the Oval Office at the White House on Wednesday.
He also added that compact models similar to those common on Malaysian roads could become an attractive option for consumers in the US market. Additionally, the US Secretary of Transportation Sean Patrick Duffy has been ordered to approve the production of those cars.
“He gave me the directive to clear the regulations on this, which we have done, Patrick added. “If Toyota or any other company wants to make smaller, more affordable, fuel-efficient cars, we have cleared the deck so they can build them in America and sell them in America,” the Secretary said.
On the other hand, the newly signed Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) between the US and Malaysia adds a notable dimension to these developments. This agreement was signed during his attendance at the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur.
Under the pact, Malaysia has agreed to accept American-made vehicles that comply with US safety and emissions standards. With the country now showing greater openness to compact car culture, the shift could create fresh opportunities for local automaker, Perodua. The automaker may find potential in exporting left-hand-drive models to the US market or even exploring a more direct presence there, capitalising on rising interest and possible demand for smaller, fuel-efficient vehicles.
