(First posted 02/14/2021)
Tatra87 has been fortunate enough to find several of these Takeoka microcars here in Japan, but in my nearly thirty years here, I just came across my first one this week…
This Takeoka is an “Abbey” – somewhat easy to tell with the name emblazoned up front. The Abbey is one of several small cars made by Takeoka Auto Craft – a small firm that started out making mobility-assist devices for the disabled in 1982. They branched out into making small electric vehicles in 1984. While this is the first one I’ve seen here in Tokyo, they must be doing fairly well as their website shows they now have five separate models in their lineup…
First is this Abbey – which is a one-seat model powered by a Honda one-cylinder 50cc 4-stroke engine. The body is fiberglass. It is 2.15 meters long, 1.1 wide, and 1.35 tall. Overall weight is 160kg. Advertised top speed (on level ground no doubt and perhaps with a slight tailwind) is 60 kph and the company says mileage is on average 35 km/l or 82 MPG. Base price (at current exchange rates) is $8,200. What’s interesting about these microcars is that they are not classified as motor vehicles – they’re in the same category as a motorized bicycle or scooter – so they are exempt from motor vehicle crash standards and other requirements.
It looks like there’s just enough room inside for you and your toy poodle…
This pic shows just how small this car is – the model on the right is a Nissan Serena – a mid-sized van.
Let’s look at Takeoka’s other models. Here is the Millieu R – which is an Abbey with an electric motor/batteries in place of the Honda gas engine. Dimensions are the same, with a top speed of 50 kph and a range on a full charge of 45 km. Price is similar to the Abbey.
A little larger is the T-10, which is still a one-seater but increases overall dimensions slightly. It is electric with four 12V lead acid batteries and a 2.5 KW motor. Max speed is 55 kph and range is 45 km. Around $10K will buy you one.
The Rookie is a four-wheeled covered scooter – again, electric powered. Max speed is 30 kph and range is 35 km. Drive one home for around $5K.
Last is the U-Land, which is a 8-12 seat electric-powered shuttle, designed for non-public road use, i.e., airports, large plants and factories, amusement parks, etc. Seats are wide enough for two and length can be varied based on capacity desired.
There’s a fully enclosed version also which makes it look like a micro urban transit bus…my favorite obviously…
So Takeoka is certainly an interesting company – like Mitsuoka, it has carved out a niche in the auto market here in Japan, prospering and remaining profitable.
Photo By Tatra87
But the obvious question here is why would a Japanese consumer prefer one of these microcars to a similarly priced or even cheaper kei-class model, that would carry a passenger or more, have a cargo capacity of at least 200 kg, and come with a modern HVAC system. My guess is that it all boils down to size. There are still some older Japanese homes that do not have a parking space (street parking is prohibited) but may have a patch small enough to squeeze one of these in. The example above is one that Tatra87 found.
I’ll have to stop by this parking lot again – and wait to see if the owner drops by – and ask nicely if they wouldn’t mind if I sat inside. Trying to cram myself into and out of this Abbey would have to be hilarious…but at my age, likely injury-provoking…
IMO, you put these cars on like a pair of pants! That is, the average sized American; at 6’4″, I SERIOUSLY doubt that I could “pretzelize” myself into one of these, LOL!! 🙂
The underside view is fascinating. A real frame, pretty solid to hold only 350 lbs. Looks like the frame would also serve a three-wheeler.
The arrangement is about the same as pre-1905 cars. Mid-mounted transverse engine, chain drive, no right-angle gearing.
I know nothing of Japanese motoring laws, and I see a wee license plate that implies it needs to be registered. But perhaps these exist because they only require a limited (or no) driving license. I understand that licenses are expensive to obtain. Or maybe they’re really cheap to insure or don’t require insurance at all?
Yes, a regular drivers license for a motor vehicle is very expensive to obtain here Evan – driving schools usually charge around $4K and the classes last several months – once issued, that license includes operation of a 50cc scooter which is what this Abbey is categorized as. You can get a 50cc scooter license only which is much cheaper and easier. And yes, as a motorized bicycle they do not require a two-year Shaken inspection or insurance, though I imagine most owners have some type of liability policy.
This juxtaposition of the Abbey and the Serena minivan is perfect — couldn’t have been staged better.
Also, I like how the seat in this featured example is almost luxurious – velour with buttoned-upholstery… and odd concession to luxury in this mini-car.
Well gosh darn it if it ain’t the year of the Carrot! Great minds post alike, Jim-san.
Indeed – amazing this is the first one of these I’ve found in thirty years…maybe one of us will stumble across a T-10 soon…:-)
Fascinating! Tatra’s post piqued my curiosity, and yours has fed it. I’m not about to import one though.
For those who might be wondering, my ten-year-old Merits Challenger 10 (a fairly typical scooter) is 1.3m long and 0.65m wide with mirrors folded. So this Abbey is almost double the length and width of an average scooter, and a LOT faster (mine will go at a jogging pace flat out), and has some enclosed luggage space (handy!). And room for the dog.
You can get enclosed, lockable scooters now, but they’re still much the same footprint as mine, with the only luggage space being a small basket on the back (mine’s on the handlebars) or between your feet – which is a hassle if it’s leg problems that have put you on one of these in the first place.
Arigato gozaimasu, Brophy-san!
Not sure what these electric micro cars are called in China, but you do see a variety of locally built models. Here’s me in a rental during a trip to Shangri-La (yes – there is such a place) 3 years ago. For perspective, I’m 6’4″.
“street parking is prohibited”
In all of Tokyo? Is that common in Japanese cities?
I assume it’s an overnight rule… I used to live in a city that banned street parking during 1a-5a or something like that. It was very pleasant, if you had a parking space: the streets could be fully plowed at night, and of course it kept traffic down because you couldn’t afford a car unless you could also afford a parking spot.
Which is another way of saying that it discriminated against poor people…
David, I encourage you to peruse the streets of Japanese cities by the means at hand. I visited Nagasaki 8 years ago and was amazed to discover streets were often undifferentiated lanes of about 14 feet in width. Vehicles were often loading and unloading but there was no space to park without causing blockages. The arterials were clearly more familiar in marking and size.
Talk about a niche vehicle. Fits perfect in Japan and other places with high density populations. I would be surprised if they haven’t already or are in the process of changing to electric propulsion for just cost savings alone.