美國道路可能迎來重大變革，這源於美國總統川普訪問日本後的舉措。美國隨處可見、肌肉感十足的SUV，或許即將被日本大受歡迎的四人座、660cc「輕型車（Kei Car）」取代。川普似乎對這種迷你汽車特別喜愛，他希望為Kei Car在美國的生產鋪路。他在Truth Social網站上寫道：「我剛剛批准在美國生產小型汽車。製造商早就想這麼做，就像其他國家成功生產一樣。」他補充說，這些車「便宜、安全、省油，而且簡直太棒了」。
在日本，Kei Car約佔新車銷售的三分之一。它們非常適合日本繁忙、人口密集城市的狹窄街道。然而，要讓這些車在美國合法上路，仍需通過相關立法。Quartz網站報導：「大多數Kei Car無法符合聯邦規範，且仍有人擔心這些車在高速公路上過於小巧和緩慢，不夠安全。」川普已指示交通部長Sean Duffy消除所有生產障礙。Duffy表示：「如果豐田或其他公司想要製造更小、更便宜、更省油的汽車，我們已經清除了障礙，讓他們能在美國銷售。」A momentous change might be coming to American roads following a visit to Japan by U.S. President Donald Trump. America's ubiquitous, muscular SUVs may soon be usurped by a four-seater, 660 cc car that is hugely popular in Japan — the "kei car". President Trump seems to have developed a particular fondnessfor this miniature automobile. He wants to pave the way for kei cars to be manufactured in the USA. He wrote on his Truth Social website: "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." He added that the cars were "inexpensive, safe, fuel efficient, and quite simply, amazing".
In Japan, kei cars account for around a third of all new vehicle sales. They are ideally suited to the narrow streets of Japan's bustling, densely populated cities. However, legislation needs to be passed to make the cars road-legal in the USA. The website Quartz reported that: "Most kei cars don't clear federal rules, and there are lingering concerns that the vehicles are too small and slow to be driven safely…on highways." Trump has directed his Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, to remove all barriers to their production. Mr Duffy said: "If Toyota or any other company wants to make smaller, more affordable and fuel-efficient cars, we have cleared the deck so they can…sell them in America."
- •Momentous (adjective) - Very important.
- •Ubiquitous (adjective) - Everywhere.
- •Muscular (adjective) - Powerful.
- •Usurped (verb) - Replaced.
- •Fondness (noun) - Liking.
- •Miniature (adjective) - Very small.
- •Pave the way (phrase) - Make it possible.
- •Manufactured (verb) - Made.
- •Inexpensive (adjective) - Cheap.
- Account for (phrasal verb) - Make up (a portion)
- •Ideally (adverb) - Perfectly.
- •Bustling (adjective) - Busy and lively.
- •Legislation (noun) - Laws.
- •Lingering (adjective) - Persistent.
- •Directed (verb) - Ordered.
- •Barriers (noun) - Obstacles.
- •Affordable (adjective) - Cheap enough to buy.
- •Cleared the deck (idiom) - Removed obstacles.
