Toyota Motor Corporation will display seven concept cars including three zero-emission vehicles at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show.
Under the slogan “Fun to Drive, Again,”2 the concept vehicles are aimed to convey Toyota’s vision of a future mobility society that values the joy of driving.
The Toyota-brand display will include a concept version of the fuel cell vehicle scheduled for launch around 2015, as well as next-generation taxi designed with usability in mind and a concept car that connects with its driver in an easy-to-use, intuitive manner.
1. Toyota FCV Concept (world premiere)
The Toyota FCV Concept is a practical concept of the fuel cell vehicle Toyota plans to launch around 2015 as a pioneer in the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles. The vehicle has a driving range of at least 500 km and refueling times as low as three minutes, roughly the same time as for a gasoline vehicle.
The vehicle’s exterior design evokes two key characteristics of a fuel cell vehicle: the transformation of air into water as the system produces electricity, and the powerful acceleration enabled by the electric drive motor. The bold front view features pronounced air intakes, while the sleek side view conveys the air-to-water transformation with its flowing-liquid door profile and wave-motif fuel cap. The theme carries to the rear view, which conveys a catamaran’s stern and the flow of water behind.
With Toyota’s proprietary small, light-weight FC Stack and two 70 MPa high-pressure hydrogen tanks placed beneath the specially designed body, the Toyota FCV Concept can accommodate up to four occupants.
The Toyota FC Stack has a power output density of 3 kW/L, more than twice that of the current “Toyota FCHV-adv” FC Stack, and an output of at least 100 kW. In addition, the FC system is equipped with Toyota’s high-efficiency boost converter. Increasing the voltage has made it possible to reduce the size of the motor and the number of fuel cells, leading to a smaller system offering enhanced performance at reduced cost.
Fully fueled, the vehicle can provide enough electricity to meet the daily needs of an average Japanese home (10 kWh) for more than one week.
FCV Concept specifications:
Length: 4,870mm. Width: 1,810mm. Height: 1,535mm. Wheelbase: 2,780mm. Occupancy: 4.
2. Toyota FV2 (world premiere)
The Toyota FV2 is a concept car that can express Toyota’s “Fun to Drive” philosophy even in a future world in which vehicle technology has greatly progressed. The vehicle enhances the driving experience by connecting physically and emotionally with the driver, becoming more fun to drive the more it is used.
Physical connection: Rather than using a steering wheel, the Toyota FV2 is operated by the driver shifting his or her body to intuitively move the vehicle forward and back, left and right. In addition, by using intelligent transport system technology to connect with other vehicles in the area and traffic infrastructure, the Toyota FV2 helps enable safe driving by providing a wide variety of safety information, including advance warnings about vehicles in blind spots at intersections.
Emotional connection: Toyota envisions an ever-developing driver-vehicle relationship similar to the relationship of trust and understanding that a rider might have with his or her horse. By incorporating technology from the “Toyota Heart Project”, both the driver and the Toyota FV2 can grow together. The vehicle uses voice and image recognition to determine the driver’s mood, accumulated driving history to suggest destinations, and driving skill information to assist the user. In addition to an augmented reality (AR) display on the windshield, the body color and exterior display can be changed at will, creating a more intimate relationship between vehicle and driver.
Toyota has created an exclusive smartphone application that enables users to experience the mobility of the future envisioned by the Toyota FV2. The application, released today, can be downloaded free of charge through the AppStore2 and Google Play3 application platforms.
TOYOTA FV2 (Driving mode) specifications:
Length: 3,000mm. Width: 1,600mm. Height: 990mm (parking mode)/1,780mm (driving mode). Wheelbase: 2,360mm. Occupancy: 1.
3. i-Road
The Toyota i-Road is an ultra-compact mobility package that provides the convenience of a motorcycle and the comfort and stability of a car, offering an enjoyable riding experience unlike either a car or a motorcycle.
With a length of 850 mm and a compact closed cabin, the concept adopts a newly developed active lean system that raises and lowers the left and right front wheels to automatically optimize the vehicle angle, ensuring a stable ride and providing an unprecedented feel of unity with the vehicle.
Starting next year, the Toyota i-Road will be used in verification tests of the Ha:mo urban transport system in Toyota city, Japan, as well as in an ultra-compact urban EV car-sharing project to be conducted in the city of Grenoble, France.
i-Road specifications:
Length: 2,350mm. Width: 850mm. Height: 1,445mm. Wheelbase: 1,700mm. Occupancy: 2.[wzslider height=”400″]
