It’s not every day that a category of trucks surprises us. Introducing the concept of Kei trucks for truck camper rigs. With four-wheel drive, 6-foot beds, and 770 pounds of payload, Kei trucks have potential.
At first blush, this has to be some kind of a joke, right? Mini Japanese “Kei” trucks can’t possibly be taken seriously for a truck and camper rig. Well, not so fast.
What’s A Kei Truck?
Kei trucks are designed to comply with Japanese “keijodpsja” requirements for a light vehicle. That’s where the name “kei” comes from. Kei-based vehicles are quite popular in Asia and are produced by Subaru, Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Daihatsu among others. In Asia, Kei trucks are used for everything from farms to fire trucks.
It may surprise you to learn that Kei trucks are built with a robust box frame, enclosed cab, AS1/A2 safety glass, and normal automotive features including set belts, windshield wipers, radios, heaters, lights, and signals, and catalytic converters. Kei trucks are legal to drive in many US states.
A late 90’s Japanese law limits their length to just over 11 feet (3.4 meters) and a width of 4.8 feet (1.48 meters). The majority of these trucks weigh around 1,500 pounds. Oh, and Kei trucks can get up to 40 miles (64 km) per gallon of gas. That’s right, these mini trucks get hybrid-like fuel mileage.
There’s a large number of Kei trucks on the used market with models dating back to the 1950s. As a result, Kei trucks can make for a cheap farm truck, landscape truck, golf course truck, or a last-mile delivery truck.
Why Kei for Truck Campers?
The reason why Kei trucks have captured the attention of off-road and truck camper enthusiasts is their capabilities. First, Kei trucks are available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. Second, the top speed for Kei vehicles is 75 mph (120 km/h). Third, they are designed to carry approximately 770 pounds of payload, or more. And finally, they feature 6-foot beds with fold-down sides.
Put another way, an admittedly small group of people in the United States are putting truck campers on Kei trucks because they can, and for relatively short money. A quick search turned up MiniTrucks.net with twelve used Kei trucks for sale in the USA starting around $7,200 up to $12,500. More Kei trucks are in Japan ready to ship to the USA starting at around $3,000.
Olympic Overland Drops The Kei
This whole Kei trucks for campers crossed my plate when I came across a video from Olympic Overland. The Olympic Overland team drew me in with a fun edit, and by showing how incredible Kei truck camper rigs can be for off-road travel.
Blink and you’ll think you’re looking at two mini Unimogs carving their way through snow-covered trails in the Northwest. With four-wheel drive, the Kei trucks go places many rigs wouldn’t dare, all with a simple 6-foot demountable camper on the back.
Somewhere along the way, my Kei impressions went from, “Why would anyone want a Kei?” to, “Okay, this is an entirely different category of truck and camper with very compelling go anywhere, camp anywhere capabilities.”
In other videos by Olympic Overland, they show the Kei truck camper rigs being built with a wood frame, wood shell, composite siding, two windows, a vent, a bed, and a diesel heater. They also demonstrate how the Kei rigs can travel on most roadways to reach trails and campsites. Of course, the real appeal is what happens once the pavement ends.
Kei truck camper setups are likely to remain a small niche due to the relatively limited supply of Kei trucks in the United States and Canada, not to mention the unconventional nature of the truck itself. That said, I can see Kei rigs being just the ticket for overland enthusiasts who want a compact and incredibly off-road capable rig for a minimal investment.
Looking to unlock a new chapter in your truck camping adventures? Try a Kei.
To see more Kei truck campers in action, check out Olympic Overland on YouTube.
