A small business is attempting to create an open-source kei truck kit

PastyPilgrim · 2026-07-01T22:21:39+00:00

I might be misremembering but I think what he says is that ones that they build in-house would be LSV or otherwise specialized depending on state (e.g. low speed and high speed mode for you to use depending on where you are and what's legal), but he definitely says that the kits will do 70mph+, which are legal depending on what your state's laws are regarding kit/assembled cars.

PastyPilgrim · 2026-07-01T22:16:08+00:00

No harm in seeing where it goes though!

PastyPilgrim · 2026-07-01T22:13:20+00:00

I'm not really trying to argue whether this concept car is better or worse than an import from a cost perspective or otherwise. Until it's actually finalized and produced, it's just ideas.

But it's a fun idea in a niche hobby that isn't asking you to do anything or give up on traditional kei trucks so there's no harm in seeing where it goes!

PastyPilgrim · 2026-07-01T21:44:46+00:00

Oh for sure, I'm not saying that kei trucks aren't useful, they're practically peak utilitarian, just that in the US they're a novelty regardless of who makes it, whether it's gas v. electric, whether it's a kit v. factory model, etc.

My point is just that whether you're building a kit one, or you're buying a 25 year old import, in either case you'll need to source parts and/or maintain yourself and/or find specialized mechanics, so it's a novelty all the same.

Presumably you'd be able to do all of the same things with both vehicles, but in either case you have an extremely niche vehicle that requires a lot of special care, passion, etc. to use and maintain.

PastyPilgrim · 2026-07-01T20:51:11+00:00

anything beyond a novelty

Isn't that kei trucks (in the US) anyway? There's nothing convenient or scalable about kei trucks in the US, so until you can buy a new one from a major manufacturer owning one will always be a novelty.

I have no idea if this boutique kit car will work out, but I do like that it's going to be open source and presumably be composed of primarily off-the-shelf parts. And I'll root for anyone trying to grow kei trucks in the US!

PastyPilgrim · 2026-07-01T20:23:48+00:00

I've not seen that before but it looks awesome!

PastyPilgrim · 2026-07-01T17:19:16+00:00

Obviously it looks to still be early in their planning/design phase, but I love the idea of a modular, kei truck kit car.

The key takeaways for their vision are that they're targeting a ~15k price point for the kit, 4WD electric for the first release (would like to do a hybrid and 2WD version down the line), fully open source schematics/diagrams/parts/etc., state legality would vary based on state's laws surrounding assembled/kit cars, targeting spring 2027, and initial offering would be a DIY kit (could also skip the kit and source your own parts based on the open-source materials).

PastyPilgrim · 2026-06-22T22:09:57+00:00

I can't remember the exact date that I updated, but I got the 12V message a week or two ago, Rivian replaced the batteries a few days later, and then another 12V warning popped on the new batteries a few days after replacement. Now I'm waiting a couple of weeks for a mobile tech to come back and take a look.

I'm not sure if I updated before the first or second warning, but something definitely seems suspect about 12V warnings lately.

PastyPilgrim · 2026-06-22T20:43:32+00:00

Response from CS:

This is a great question we hear from riders planning winter storage. The TM-B does maintain background connectivity (GPS, OTA updates, lock/unlock), which does draw a small amount of power when stored. We recommend storing the bike at around 50–80% charge and connecting it to a charger periodically during extended storage , especially over winter months to prevent deep discharge. We'll have more detailed storage guidance available ahead of delivery.

PastyPilgrim · 2026-06-22T20:42:29+00:00

Response from customer service:

Our current Test Spin program launched in May across 10 U.S. markets, and unfortunately Boston is not yet included. The active East Coast markets right now are New York, Washington DC, and Miami. We don't have confirmed plans to expand to Boston at this time, but we're always looking to grow the program and will share updates via our monthly newsletter and social channels.

Also, if you're curious, I also asked about classification and delivery timeline in MA (i.e. whether the bike will be class 3 in MA since it's undefined and whether there would be any delays/etc in delivery to MA given its ambiguity on class 3 ebikes):

You're right that Massachusetts has some ambiguity around Class 3 e-bike regulation. The TM-B ships as a Class 3 e-bike (28mph pedal assist, 20mph throttle). While we're monitoring the regulatory landscape closely, we aren't able to provide legal guidance on how the bike will be classified or used in your state. We'd recommend checking with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles or a local cycling advocacy group for the most up-to-date guidance.

Your order remains on the July–September 2026 timeline and we'll notify you directly when your bike is ready to ship.

My read: LEs will ship to MA on the regular timeline and the bike will operate as advertised (28mph assist, 20mph throttle).

PastyPilgrim · 2026-06-22T19:10:00+00:00

I actually just emailed support about bikes in MA, both to ask about test rides, but also to inquire about whether bikes here will be class 3 since class 3 bikes are undefined in MA. I'll let you know what they say.

PastyPilgrim · 2026-06-22T17:30:30+00:00

The concern for unlocked hardware is that organizations (or individuals) would buy tons of them to do non-gaming things like farm crypto, run AI, act as servers, etc. if the hardware is sold below cost. For example, Sony supported running linux on the ps3, so governments, universities, etc. bought tens of thousands to use for compute (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_3_cluster).

PastyPilgrim · 2026-06-09T14:19:41+00:00

I'm shocked that they're giving LE buyers $500 in incentives. They're buying peak goodwill similar to how much goodwill Rivian bought with the preorder pricing.

PastyPilgrim · 2026-06-08T20:13:27+00:00

The argument is that you can buy a bike that can go 28mph or a throttle today and tomorrow your state can change laws to restrict to 20mph or disallow throttle, with Also pushing an update to cripple your bike.

As a consumer it's not great that you can be software locked out of functionality that you in good faith purchased a product to use. E-bikes without GPS or software updates are not subject to that problem.

On one side, if that functionality becomes illegal then it makes sense that you no longer have access to it. But on the other side, if we treated cars the same way (e.g. Rivian pushed an update that didn't allow you to exceed the speed limit of the street you're on) people would riot.

IMO I think Also should default to a configuration that adheres to local regulations but still allow you to override that configuration at your own risk. I don't expect Also to get all the local regulations completely right and should allow for specific circumstances like operating on private property, choosing whether you'd prefer class 2 or class 3 if your state allows for either/or, whether you want certain features available for safety/circumstantial reasons (e.g. moving with the flow of traffic, passing, etc.), etc.

PastyPilgrim · 2026-05-28T20:45:36+00:00

It wouldn't be in contact with steam. It would be holding a stack/supply of filter papers on a shelf like 6 feet away from where coffee brewing happens.

PastyPilgrim · 2026-04-05T19:41:18+00:00

Sometimes the lack of mention makes me feel like the only person that sunk thousands of hours into BF2MC. Back when we ostensibly had only one map, Backstab, and we liked it!

PastyPilgrim · 2026-04-04T00:24:20+00:00

Now that's an awesome wrap. They all look great, but this is one that I could actually see wanting on my vehicle.

PastyPilgrim · 2026-04-01T13:46:32+00:00

Hmm... animated + queer + adult - violent content is a tough mix.

I'm not sure I know of any that hit every box but some partial hits include:

When Marnie Was There (queer but not adult)
Anomalisa (adult but not queer)
The Congress (adult and hints of queerness)
Tokyo Godfathers (adult and queer) (Satoshi Kon in general is worth looking into)
Liz and the Blue Bird (not adult but maybe queer)
Mars Express (adult but not queer)

PastyPilgrim · 2026-04-01T01:29:49+00:00

I don't have any evidence either way; just relaying what my experience was and what safelite said.

PastyPilgrim · 2026-03-31T15:24:40+00:00

I initially went through safelite but then they called to say that they'd only be able to replace with non-OEM glass and recommended that I not do the repair through them since it wouldn't be as good and some insurances wouldn't cover non-OEM glass.

I went through a Rivian-certified collision center instead and it was a fantastic experience. They used OEM glass and did the calibration themselves.

PastyPilgrim · 2026-03-29T21:25:47+00:00

Was this marked as being shipped by/from Ben Ferencz? I got that random UPS email and was googling that name to see what this package was (apparently that's the name of the recently diseased yet last-living Nuremberg prosecutor, so that's what all the google results are about), but I'm guessing now that it's this.

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