May 14, 2008: Junebug, aka, JDM Van super fan, was psyched to find this tuned Mark X Zio TGDA (Toyota GT Driver’s Association) Concept in the Toyota booth at the 2008 Tokyo Auto Salon, and somehow, was able to convince Toyota to let the Riceboy crew into it’s Yokohama-based Toyota Technocraft Facilities so we could get an up-close-and-personal look at this DTM-inspired super van.
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Featuring Toyota’s Plug-in Hybrid Technology, the Toyota Hi-CT concept, designed with the youth market and young families living in busy urban centers in mind, aims to break the conventional boundaries of an urban vehicle, with unusual dimensions and a look unconstrained by conventional vehicle size, yet still seating four passengers.
“As you can see, the shape of the car is much more square than our conventional designs because what young people think is cool is different to what older people think is cool, we found this out from interviews and the media.”
By placing the battery underneath the floor, the cabin features a higher driver position and more efficient use of cabin space, it also has mounted windows and a wide cabin interior, improving flexibility. The car is powered by a 1.5 liter engine fused with a hybrid motor, with plug-in hybrid technology allowing it to charge from external power sources at home or on the road and giving it a greater driving range when running on it’s battery powered motor. Electricity for personal devices can be accessed from inside the car with an AC 100v accessory socket.
“The interior was designed by a French-born designer who is still young and in his mid-20’s. The inspiration for the interior was the designers interpretation of Toyko, and the concept is arrows, so when you look at the car you can see many arrows, the designer said that the number of arrows in Tokyo is striking.”
Measuring just 3.3 by 1.7 meters in diameter, the Hi-CT also manages to squeeze in a removable rear trunk and deck which can be used to carry bikes or other equipment.
One of the concept cars exhibited by Toyota at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show is the environmentally-friendly 1/X concept car.
Based on a concept of reducing vehicle weight to “1/Xth” that of other vehicles in its class, the 1/X was reduced in weight to 420kg, which is about one-third that of the Prius. Fuel efficiency that is almost double that of the Prius was also targeted while maintaining an interior space comparable to the Prius.
As an FFV (Flex Fuel Vehicle) that can use bioethanol in addition to gasoline, the 1/X is based on a 500cc engine and also features a plug-in hybrid system that allows charging from an external power source.
The power unit is located beneath the rear seat for a midship, rear-wheel-drive system.
The body frame features lightweight, high-rigidity carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) to ensure superior collision safety performance while allowing narrower pillars for a wider field of vision.
The 1/X is a four passenger vehicle with an overall length of 3.9m, an overall width of 1.62m, an overall length of 1.41m, and a wheelbase of 2.6m.
Continuing the evolution of Toyota’s personal mobility vehicle development, which began in 2003 with the unveiling of the Personal Mobility concept car, is the i-REAL. “The concept of this vehicle is that you can use a cellphone with one hand and drive with the other and also stop easily, you can also drink at the same time as controlling the vehicle, we wanted to make a vehicle that safely allows for this.” “These are the levers used to control this vehicle, by pushing forward you accelerate and pulling back you brake, you can also brake by pressing this button on the lever, just by turning the lever in the direction you want to go, makes the vehicle move in that direction.” The i-REAL uses three wheels which at low speed shorten the wheel base allowing the passenger to maneuver through pedestrians at a similar eye level without taking up a lot of space, the wheel base extends out when traveling at higher speeds, providing better performance with a lower center of gravity and therefore more stability. “In walking mode this vehicle can go at 6 kilometers per hour, when you change it into car mode you can travel at 30 kilometers per hour.” The i-REAL also has a built-in social networking service allowing you to communicate and create a community with other i-REAL drivers nearby. A collision detection system constantly monitors the surrounding landscape using perimeter monitoring sensors, and alert the driver by vibrating or using noise, it also alerts others to its presence by using light and sound.
At less than 3 meters in length, the Toyota IQ concept, is an ultra compact, space efficient environmentally friendly vehicle which is the worlds smallest 4 seater. Created at ED2, Toyota’s design studio in the south of France, the IQ concept combines a dynamic, edgy form with a functional interior that can seat four passengers or three with luggage space. The exterior consists of a a cab-forward silhouette with ultra-short overhangs, 17 inch wheels and a panoramic glass sunroof. The space-saving interior has a dashboard that sweeps away from the front passenger giving them more room, an information display mounted above the steering column, and audio and navigation controls mounted on the steering wheel. Also at the core of this design is safety, with a strong passenger compartment safety cell providing optimal impact absorption. A mildly restyled version of the IQ, with an engine from Yamaha, will go into production in 2009, with approximately 100,000 vehicles built each year in Japan 80000 of which are expected to be exported to Europe.
Continuing the evolution of Toyota’s personal mobility vehicle development, which began in 2003 with the unveiling of the Personal Mobility concept car, is the i-REAL. “The concept of this vehicle is that you can use a cellphone with one hand and drive with the other and also stop easily, you can also drink at the same time as controlling the vehicle, we wanted to make a vehicle that safely allows for this.” “These are the levers used to control this vehicle, by pushing forward you accelerate and pulling back you brake, you can also brake by pressing this button on the lever, just by turning the lever in the direction you want to go, makes the vehicle move in that direction.” The i-REAL uses three wheels which at low speed shorten the wheel base allowing the passenger to maneuver through pedestrians at a similar eye level without taking up a lot of space, the wheel base extends out when traveling at higher speeds, providing better performance with a lower center of gravity and therefore more stability. “In walking mode this vehicle can go at 6 kilometers per hour, when you change it into car mode you can travel at 30 kilometers per hour.” The i-REAL also has a built-in social networking service allowing you to communicate and create a community with other i-REAL drivers nearby. A collision detection system constantly monitors the surrounding landscape using perimeter monitoring sensors, and alert the driver by vibrating or using noise, it also alerts others to its presence by using light and sound.
Sporting Toyota’s hybrid synergy drive system, the Toyota Crown HV concept was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show, with production and sales expected to begin next year. The rear-wheel-drive Crown Hybrid Concept is equipped with the THS II hybrid powertrain, which has a two-stage motor-speed reduction device that helps with smooth acceleration, increasing fuel efficiency and lowering CO2 emissions. “The difference between the hybrid system in the Crown when compared to the Lexus is that the hybrid Lexus motor is geared for power, as it is a Sport model, this Crown hybrid, in the same vein as the Prius, was designed for greater mileage and to be more environmentally friendly.” It also features Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management traction control for vehicle stability and active steering to balance drive power, steering and braking. Other features include a TFT LCD “Finegraphic Meter” display, providing the driver with easy to see and understand information and 10 SRS airbags, heightening the vehicles safety performance levels.
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02 6th, 2009| 