Donald Trump wants to be remembered as the US president who brought ‘tiny cars’ to American roads.
Hoping to add something to a legacy crowded with trade wars, Supreme Court drama and friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the politician declared he has effectively approved the hybrid motors.
His statement on TruthSocial read: ‘I have just approved TINY CARS to be built in America. Manufacturers have long wanted to do this, just like they are so successfully built in other countries.
‘They can be propelled by gasoline, electric, or hybrid.
‘These cars of the very near future are inexpensive, safe, fuel efficient and, quite simply, AMAZING!!! START BUILDING THEM NOW! Thank you to the DOJ and the Departments of Transportation and Environment. ENJOY!!!’
Trump’s move to legalize tiny vehicles may be just wishful thinking.
They are similar to Japan’s beloved kei cars – which look like almost toys and have a cult following overseas.
He reportedly fell in love with them during a recent trip, but the path ahead for manufacturing them in the US is more complicated than it seems.
The cars are currently banned by federal transport regulators as they do not meet various safety standards.
On the surface, they sounds like a great idea – much cheaper, smaller, more-efficient cars available for the American consumer.
But there is also the question of whether anyone in the land of ‘Supersized’ would want to drive one.
Earlier this week, Trump told reporters outside the White House: ‘They are very small, really cute, and I said, “How would that do in this country?”
‘But we are not allowed to make them in this country, and I think you are going to do very well with those cars, so we’re gonna approve those cars.’
Transportation secretary Sean Duffy said he has since been directed to ‘clear the deck’ for domestic manufacturing of the mini-cars, and acknowledged that the vehicles would not be viable for major highways.
‘Are they going to work on the freeways? Probably not,’ Duffy warned in an interview on CNBC.
He argued that they may be better suited to dense cities and emphasised their price point, calling them ‘much more affordable than the other options that are on the market today.’
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