Coming 2027
KEI-01
The KEI-01 is the brand's first vehicle headed toward customers.
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On November 10, 2026, Toyota Motor North America introduced Scion by Toyota, a new brand built around curiosity and new kinds of mobility. Alongside the brand, Toyota unveiled its first vehicle, the KEI-01, an ultra-compact utility truck planned to arrive in the United States in the second half of 2027.
Oxmoor Toyota, at 8003 Shelbyville Rd in Louisville, is sharing what Toyota has announced so far for drivers and businesses in Louisville, Middletown, and the surrounding area. If you want updates, or you want to talk with us about fleet interest, email Kenny Alward using the button at the bottom of this page.
This is an announcement page, not an inventory or order page. Toyota says initial distribution will be a fleet-focused pilot through a small network of authorized Scion by Toyota dealers, to be selected from current Toyota dealers. Toyota has not named those dealers, and Oxmoor Toyota is not presenting itself as an authorized Scion by Toyota dealer.
Toyota describes Scion by Toyota as a “freedom lab” for exploring new ideas in mobility, adventure, and personal expression. The company says the brand builds on the experimental spirit associated with the original Scion, this time as a place to try new vehicle concepts, designs, and capabilities.
Simon Humphries, Chief Branding Officer and Head of Design at Toyota Motor Corporation, put it this way:
“The future of mobility will not be defined by one vehicle, one technology or one way of thinking. Scion by Toyota gives us a place to challenge conventional thinking, explore new possibilities and create mobility in new ways.”
At the same events, Toyota also showed two concept vehicles, the SxS Concept and the BKE Concept. Those are concepts, not production models. They are covered later on this page.
The KEI-01 is a compact, right-hand-drive utility truck inspired by Japan's kei trucks. Toyota says it is designed to meet the federal safety requirements that apply to a low-speed vehicle (LSV) under FMVSS No. 500. Its maximum speed will be 25 miles per hour.
A 660cc three-cylinder engine paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
Selectable four-wheel drive is standard, with an auto mode and a push-button lock, intended to help in mud, snow, and uneven terrain.
A three-way fold-down bed, designed so operators can load and unload from a lower height. Payload capacity is up to 600 pounds in the bed. Toyota also notes structural rigidity for towing small trailers and equipment; a specific tow rating has not been published in the announcement.
An extended cab with a raised roofline, reclining and sliding seats, and interior storage behind the seats.
An enclosed cabin with heat and air conditioning.
Just over 11 feet long and under 5 feet wide.
Right-hand drive.
Designed as an FMVSS No. 500 low-speed vehicle, with a 25 mph maximum speed.
Because the KEI-01 is a right-hand-drive vehicle, the steering wheel is on the right. Toyota says the extended-cabin design and raised roofline allow the seats to recline and slide, with secure storage behind the seats for tools and gear. Heat and air conditioning are part of the enclosed cabin.
Toyota positions the KEI-01 as a smaller, more affordable alternative to a traditional pickup for buyers who need versatility without the size of a full-size or midsize truck. The company lists these intended uses:
For Louisville-area drivers, that compact footprint is the point: at just over 11 feet long and under 5 feet wide, with a 25 mph cap, the KEI-01 is aimed at tight lots, campus loops, job sites, and short, low-speed work, not highway commuting. If you still need a conventional Toyota truck, Oxmoor Toyota can help you compare the midsize 2026 Tacoma and the full-size 2026 Tundra, or start with our Tacoma vs. Tundra guide.
Toyota will assemble the KEI-01 at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana (Toyota Indiana), starting in the second half of 2027. The company says the work is supported by a $34 million investment and is expected to add about 50 jobs, with new assembly operations and upgrades to production and logistics infrastructure.
Toyota is treating the KEI-01 as a low-volume, niche vehicle. Initial availability will be a fleet-focused pilot, so the company can learn how the truck is used in the U.S. Those first fleet sales are planned through Scion by Toyota dealers selected from current Toyota dealers. Toyota says it may later consider limited retail sales, depending on market conditions, customer demand, and operational considerations. Additional sales details will be shared as plans are finalized. Toyota has not announced pricing.
Oxmoor Toyota is a Toyota dealership in Louisville. That is not the same thing as being named a Scion by Toyota dealer, and we will not take KEI-01 orders or quote availability beyond what Toyota has published.
The KEI-01 is the brand's first vehicle headed toward customers. The SxS Concept and the BKE Concept are concept vehicles. They preview other directions Scion by Toyota may explore. They are not in production, and they cannot be ordered.
The KEI-01 is the brand's first vehicle headed toward customers.
The SxS Concept is a purpose-built side-by-side that was first shown at the 2025 SEMA Show. Toyota says it was developed by the company's North American engineering team. The concept uses a high-output turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid powertrain producing more than 300 horsepower, in a compact off-road package designed for uses from desert running to technical rock crawling. It also has a Silent Mode that lets the vehicle operate on electric power. Toyota says it will keep advancing the concept and evaluating how it could reach enthusiasts. That is not a production commitment or a sale date.
The BKE Concept explores a different idea: compact packaging, utility, and adventure, in the space between the KEI-01's practical work role and the SxS Concept's off-road performance. Toyota describes it as a small, highly adaptable form meant to open up new ways people might move through the outdoors. Like the SxS, it is a concept only.
If you are a Louisville-area business, campus, municipality, or driver who wants to be notified as Toyota shares more about the KEI-01, contact Kenny Alward at Oxmoor Toyota. Tell us whether you are asking as a fleet or business customer or as a retail customer following the announcement. We will share what we know and keep you posted. We cannot take an order, hold a unit, or promise that Oxmoor Toyota will be chosen as a Scion by Toyota dealer.
You can also reach Oxmoor Toyota at (502) 426-1200 or visit us at 8003 Shelbyville Rd, Louisville, KY 40222. Sales hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; we are closed Sunday. Directions, department phones, and hours are on our Contact Us page. To research Toyota trucks that are on our lot today, start at the Toyota Research Center or browse new Toyota inventory.
It is an ultra-compact, right-hand-drive utility truck and the first vehicle from Toyota's new Scion by Toyota brand. Toyota says it brings the idea of Japan's kei trucks to U.S. customers as a low-speed utility vehicle, with a 660cc three-cylinder engine, a CVT, and standard selectable four-wheel drive.
Toyota says the KEI-01 will arrive in the U.S. in the second half of 2027, with assembly at Toyota's Indiana plant starting in that same period. Toyota has not published a more specific on-sale date.
No. The KEI-01 is not for sale or available to order at Oxmoor Toyota today. Toyota plans a fleet-focused pilot first, through Scion by Toyota dealers that have not yet been named. Oxmoor Toyota has not been announced as one of those dealers. Email Kenny Alward if you want updates or want to discuss fleet interest.
Toyota says the KEI-01 is designed to comply with FMVSS No. 500 requirements for low-speed vehicles, and that its maximum speed will be 25 miles per hour. Where and how an LSV may be operated depends on federal, state, and local rules; we will not give legal advice on this page. Ask if you need help understanding how that classification may apply to your use.
Yes. Toyota's announcement states that the KEI-01 is a right-hand-drive vehicle.
Toyota lists a payload capacity of up to 600 pounds in the bed. The announcement also mentions structural rigidity for towing small trailers and equipment, but it does not include a published tow rating.
No. The SxS Concept and the BKE Concept are concept vehicles shown with the KEI-01 to illustrate other ideas Scion by Toyota may explore. They are not in production and cannot be ordered.
No. The November 10, 2026, announcement does not include pricing.
Source: Toyota Motor North America press release, “Toyota Says ‘Okei’ to America: Introducing the Scion by Toyota Brand and KEI-01,” November 10, 2026, pressroom.toyota.com. Vehicle images are courtesy of Toyota Motor North America / Toyota USA Newsroom and may show pre-production or display vehicles. This page was written by Oxmoor Toyota for customer information and has not been published as an offer to sell the KEI-01.
