Toyota will
debut the FT-EV II electric city car at the Tokyo Motor Show.
It has a top
speed of over 60mph and a range of more than 50 miles. The similarity in
concept with the iQ is obvious. However Toyota says that while it can seat four
people, it’s even more compact than the iQ.
Drive-by-wire
technology allows all the vehicle functions to be controlled using a joystick,
including the accelerator, brakes and steering. Removing the throttle and brake
pedals frees up legroom for the four-seat design.
The exterior
features a low front cowl and an additional window below the level of the
windscreen to give extra forward visibility. To improve safety through the
quality of all-round vision, the rear lamp clusters are see-through LED units.
To ensure easy access in tight spots, there are electric sliding doors on both
sides.
The quality
theme of the iQ also extends to the FT-EV II. The ride is quiet and comfortable
with smooth acceleration, thanks to Toyota-developed motor control technology,
itself part of the hybrid system that sits at the heart of the company’s
environmental technologies.
The company
will also show the FT-86 sports car concept. This will be rear-wheel drive and
have a boxer engine from Subaru, a company that Toyota has a stake in. The
promise is that the engine will be more economical than the current Subaru
unit. If nothing else, the FT-86 looks great, having shades of Nissan GT-R
about the design.