Toyota FT-EV
Toyota announced today that it will display the Toyota FT-EV concept at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, January 11 – 25, hinting that it might offer an urban all-electric commuter vehicle in the next few years. The FT-EV concept shares its platform with the company’s minicar, the Toyota iQ.
Toyota introduced the gas-version of the iQ in Japan in November 2008, and plans to roll out the minicar to Europe this month. Plans for North America are undetermined. The iQ is larger than the quintessential minicar, the Smart Fortwo, but not by much. Its wheelbase is a little more than five inches longer, and on the whole, the car is only about a foot longer than the Smart—11.4 inches to be exact. The iQ is a four-passenger vehicle while the Smart only carries two.
The electric version on display at the Detroit Auto Show, the Toyota FT-EV concept, offers driving range of 50 miles, according to Toyota.
“Last summer’s four-dollar-a-gallon gasoline was no anomaly. It was a brief glimpse of our future,” said Irv Miller, group vice president of environmental and public affairs at Toyota. The company is expected to dabble with pure electric and smaller vehicles like the iQ, but conventional gas-electric hybrids, like the Prius, are considered Toyota’s long-term core powertrain technology.
Corporate B-roll footage of the Toyota FT-EV electric city car.
Last year, Toyota announced that it planned to sell one million gas-electric hybrids per year sometime during the early 2010s. To accomplish this, Toyota is expected to launch as many as 10 new hybrid models in the next few years. The company has not made any firm commitments to bring an electric car to market.
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n/a MPG n/a L/100km
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BODY TYPE:
Coupe
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TECHNOLOGY:
Electric
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BASE MSRP:
n/a
3 years ago
Open wheel wells spell d r a g, drag.
3 years ago
Come on already! Zinc-silver batteries, hydrogen, whatever. Let's get a fuel source where a car can run on something other than gasoline and deliver for once! These small vehicles are a joke! Give us full-sized vehicles that kick booty and then we'll be talking. People want vehicles that fit them, not these mini-European roll-outs!
They must be joking with these min-prototypes. Fire these guys and get on with what consumers want, with the technology to make it happen.
3 years ago
True Jeddy, people want full size vehicles, but you have to start somewhere. Better they start small than not start at all. I live in a pretty dense city (LA) and I know quite a few people that would consider driving something like this.
3 years ago
Jeddy, I can't speak for anyone else, but I personally want a car just like this. I have a two car household. I drive a small car to work. The small car gets lots of miles. My wife, who stays at home with the kids, has a big SUV. The SUV mostly sits in the garage. I am eagerly waiting for someone to make an affordable electric car that I can use as my commuter car.
I find it frustrating when people insist that a viable next generation car needs to be a big all purpose behemoth. There is certainly a market for that. But there is also plenty of market for cars that just get people to and from work every day. Something like 90% of all passenger automobile trips are single occupant commuter trips.
3 years ago
I agree. Start with small cars and when we've improved batteries technology, make bigger cars.
2 years ago
I see that "Jeddy" spurred quite a reaction! I'm sympathetic to Jeddy's remarks, although I don't agree. This Toyota concept is, clearly, not the end-point of development of alternative fuel vehicles; it's just the start, or at least Step 2. It's a good step in the right direction. An upgrade to this concept, say seating four people, with a range of 75 - 100 miles (120 - 160 km), would generate a lot of interest. We can already see alternative vehicles dropping in price and becoming more functional.
2 years ago
A stunning car! Nothing of the sort seen! My wife would like!
1 year ago
Toyota really needs to put out this EV in the US market today with out delay! Get on it Toyota!!!
1 year ago
Hello, my name is Jill Krysinski. I am a high school science teacher in Chicago Heights, IL. I teach biology, environmental science, and sponsor the school science club.
Science 2004, I have been working directly with my students to learn about and tinker with renewable energy sources. After a few years, we dev eloped some great relationships with some environmental organizations across the nation. With their help, my students and I developed an outreach program to teach the public, mostly kids, about renewable energy sources. We have traveled to countless schools, Earth/ Environmental events, and parades in an old school bus we run on biodiesel fuel. We had the bus donated to us and our school’s chemistry classes make the biodiesel fuel. We developed several learning centers to teach using hands-on activities. Our stations include solar energy, wind power, vermicomposting, biodiesel, energy bike generator, and how to “green” your school.
We have fixed and maintained the bus through several grants we were awarded. We have been featured on Nickelodeon’s “Big Green Help” in a 15 second commercial spot. We have worked closely with Earth Day Networks in Washington D.C., we have partnered with Alliance for Climate Change (ACE), and many local groups. Our program was featured to represent green schools in Chicago for two years at the traveling “Green Festival.” We have also worked locally to restore Prairie Land and generate awareness of Brownfields in our community. We have been able to do a lot of great work in the local Chicago land area. We have also been able to consult with other high school teachers and schools to help them go green, at no cost. (See Articles at www.bloombiodiesel.com ) (See References- attached)
Recently, the transmission in our biodiesel bus broke. The 1991, Chevy Sport Van, bus is no longer running. We have not been able to do our educational outreach since the Fall, 2010. The students are devastated and I am out of grant money.
I am in desperate need of a renewable energy vehicle to transport 14 students and continue our outreach program. I am asking your organization to donate a renewable energy van or bus. It can be a used vehicle. We just need transportation. All donations can be used for a tax deduction (in the amount of the blue book value). We will also advertise for your company for free, on the vehicle and in the outreach presentation. We can put graphics on the outside and mention the company in our introduction, thanking you for the donation.
You will find attached pictures of our outreach events, a list of awards and references to contact.
Thank you for your time! I am looking forward to your response!
Thank you,
Jill Krysinski
Bloom High School
708-755-1122 x2175
References
Sean S. Miller
Director of Education
Earth Day Network
1616 P. Street NW, Suite 340
Washington, DC 20036
(p) 202-518-0044
(f) 202-518-8794
miller@earthday.net
Brenna Holzhauer
Education Manager
Earth Day Network
1616 P. Street NW, Suite 340
Washington, DC 20036
(p) 202-518-0044 x 38
(f) 202-518-8794
brennawells@gmail.com
Jamie Bender
Outreach Coordinator
Center for International Studies
University of Chicago, Pick Hall 123
5828 S. University Ave.
Chicago, IL 60637
Tel. (773) 834-3852
Fax (773) 702-9286
jbender@uchicago.edu
http://cis.uchicago.edu
Laura Berry
Environmental Education Coordinator
Irons Oaks Environmental Learning Center
lberry@hfparks.com
Deborah Meyers
Project Manager
Partners In Brainstorms, Inc.
3420 E. Shea Blvd., Suite 200
Phoenix, AZ 85028-3348
Phone: 602-953-5228
Fax: 602-953-5227
e-mail: dmeyers@pib1.com
Leah Qusba
Lead Educator
ACE | Alliance for Climate Education
Greater Chicago Region
(262) 880-8661 (m)
(312) 618-5633 (w)
www.acespace.org
www.facebook.com/acespace
Zach Waickman
Biodiesel Lab Manager
Center for Urban Environmental Research and Policy
Loyola University Chicago
6317 N Broadway Ave.
Chicago, IL 60660
Phone: (773) 508-8852
Email: zwaickm@luc.edu
www.luc.edu/biodiesel
Vanessa Robinson
Jay Goldberg Events and Entertainment
indiGold Management I Cornmeal
The Canopy Club
Summer Camp 2010 Music Festival
1115 W. Oregon, Suite A
Urbana, IL 61801
o : 217.278.7400
f : 217.367.3142
Marilee Chlebicki
Ford Motor Company
Government Relations
mchlebi1@ford.com
630-515-2152
1 year ago
It is great to see that Toyota is taking one step futher in the persuit for fuel saving vehilces. I personally still love the new Prius (http://www.2010-toyota-prius for pictures and reference). The FT-EV is a bit small and box like for my taste, but I am sure future generations will be much better looking.
40 weeks ago
Wonderful compact car! This is a perfect enviroment friendly model. It looks lithium ion battery prices are falling and this is good too.
12 weeks ago
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5 weeks ago
It really amazes me how people will actually buy one of these types of vehicles. I don't care how much technology they pack into those things, unless all vehicles on the road are that size, the people driving in them are not safe in any way. I mean, seriously. You know how most people keep their valuable things locked up in their car when they go into a gym to work out? Well, if it didn't violate the rules of gym etiquette you'd be able to take one of those things into the locker room with you and put IT in a locker before you hit the weights.
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4 weeks ago
Looks a lot like the Suzuki version! Antifouling experts.
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