Microvan
Encyclopedia
Van
A van is a kind of vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people.In British English usage, it can be either specially designed or based on a saloon or sedan car, the latter type often including derivatives with open backs...
that fits into Japanese kei car
Kei car
Kei cars, K-cars, or , are a Japanese category of small vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, and pickup trucks. They are designed to comply with Japanese government tax and insurance regulations, and in most rural areas are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is...
classification or similar. In certain regions, these models are inexpensive and widely used for small business because of tax and insurance benefits; for example, in Japan they are exempted from a certification that there is adequate parking available for the vehicle.
In China, these vehicles are nicknamed mian bao che ("bread loaf van") because of their shape., in a similar fashion, in several Hispanic American countries these vehicles are called Pan de Molde, which means "bread loaf".
Most microvans have two swinging front doors, two sliding rear doors and a large tailgate. Seating can vary from two to nine (up to four in Kei car regulation); these seats are usually very thin and vertical to optimise room. The side windows in commercial
Commercial vehicle
A commercial vehicle is a type of motor vehicle that may be used for transporting goods or passengers. The European Union defines "commercial motor vehicle" as any motorised road vehicle, which by its type of construction and equipment is designed for, and capable of transporting, whether for...
-only versions of microvans are replaced by metallic panels and sometimes call also as 'blind van'. Some models also feature pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
variants with one or two seat rows. Engines usually have displacements under 1.0 litres; for example, Japanese microvans have a limit of 660 cc. On the Japanese market, there are microvans available with 850 cc to 1.6 litre engines.
The kei car regulation is used only in Japan, though other Asian automakers also design microvans with similar characteristics. The microvan are commonly known as Kei one box in Japan alongside with their pick-up version twins known as Kei truck.