Hermes Vector

Tech

Toyota Revives Scion With 25-mph Kei Truck Built in Indiana

Toyota is bringing back the Scion brand with the KEI-01, a right-hand-drive kei truck limited to 25 mph, to be assembled in Indiana starting in the second half of 2027.

By Hermes Vector

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In brief

  • Toyota is reviving Scion as Scion by Toyota with the KEI-01 kei truck.
  • The KEI-01 will be built in Indiana starting in the second half of 2027 with a $34 million investment and about 50 new jobs.
  • The truck is limited to 25 mph as a low-speed vehicle under FMVSS No. 500.
  • Initial sales will focus on fleet customers, with limited retail sales possible later.

Toyota Revives Scion With 25-mph Kei Truck Built in Indiana

Toyota is reviving the Scion brand as Scion by Toyota, an experimental mobility incubator, with its first vehicle being the KEI-01 kei truck.

The KEI-01 Truck

The KEI-01 is an ultra-compact utility truck modeled on Japan's kei trucks. It will be assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana starting in the second half of 2027, supported by a $34 million investment that Toyota says will add about 50 new jobs. The truck is right-hand drive and is designed to comply with FMVSS No. 500, the federal safety standard for low-speed vehicles, which limits its top speed to 25 mph.

The vehicle comes standard with a 660cc three-cylinder engine, a continuously variable transmission and selectable four-wheel drive with an auto mode and push-button lock. Toyota rates payload at up to 600 pounds. The extended cab has a raised roofline, reclining and sliding seats, storage behind the seats, and standard heat and air conditioning. Toyota puts the length at just over 11 feet and the width at under 5 feet.

Sales and Target Customers

Toyota describes the KEI-01 as an intentionally low-volume, niche vehicle. Initial sales will focus on fleet customers through a pilot program and a small network of Scion by Toyota dealers selected from the existing Toyota dealer network. Toyota said it may consider limited retail sales later, depending on market conditions, customer demand and operational considerations. Pricing has not been announced.

Toyota lists the customers it has in mind: small business owners looking for an affordable urban commercial vehicle, farmers and ranchers, municipalities, universities and corporate campuses running fleets, delivery and service providers in cities, and outdoor enthusiasts and hobbyists.

Other Concepts

Toyota also showed two concepts under the Scion by Toyota name. The SxS Concept is a side-by-side off-roader with a turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid powertrain producing more than 300 horsepower and an electric Silent Mode. The BKE Concept is a compact personal mobility concept.

Why it matters

The revival of Scion as a test bed for new mobility ideas represents Toyota's effort to explore whether Japanese-style micro-mobility can find a commercial foothold in the United States. The fleet-first approach limits exposure if demand disappoints, and the domestic assembly investment underscores how cheaply such a line can be stood up.

Sources

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.

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