TOYOTA PRESENTS ITS FUTURE MOBILITY
Toyota will display five world-premiere concept vehicles at the 43rd Tokyo Motor Show. Under the slogan „Fun to Drive, Again”the concept vehicles convey Toyota’s vision of a future mobility society that values the joy of driving. The Toyota display at the 43rd Tokyo Motor Show will include a concept version of the fuel cell vehicle scheduled for launch around 2015, as well as a next-generation hybrid taxi designed with usability and hospitality in mind, and a compact sports hybrid.
The Toyota FCV Concept is a practical concept of the fuel cell vehicle. 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. 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.
A next-generation taxi concept car created with Japanese hospitality in mind, the JPN Taxi Concept aims to enliven city streets. The vehicle has been created in line with the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s promotion of barrier-free buses and taxis tailored to regional needs. The JPN Taxi Concept uses a new, economical liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) hybrid system with excellent environmental performance. The design features familiar taxi proportions, with an electrically operated sliding door on the passenger-seat side. The interior design conveys hospitality, placing priority on universal design principles and modern expression. A large monitor provides information to passengers, such as the route to the destination and taxi fares. For the driver, there are specially designed instruments and gauges for taxi use too.
The Voxy and Noah concepts are next-generation spacious minivans that provide the roomy interior needed by families and integrate higher levels of fun, utility and fuel economy. A new, low-floor package creates a class-leading roomy interior. These seven-seater vehicles feature ultra-long sliding Captain Seats the second row, a first for its class, providing a diverse range of seating arrangements.
A 2.0-liter gasoline engine variant and a 1.8-liter hybrid variant with a class-first full hybrid system have been created for both the Voxy Concept and the Noah Concept. Optimal placement of the hybrid battery makes it possible to maintain the spacious utility of a minivan and achieve exceptional class-leading fuel efficiency and cruising ranges. Market versions of the Noah and Voxy concepts are scheduled for launch in the Japanese market in early 2014.
The Aqua G Sports is a fun-to-drive, sports-conversion compact hybrid sports car with powerful, sleek and inspiring styling and excellent fuel efficiency. The vehicle has been fully tuned by GAZOO Racing drivers to offer a wider range of consumers a taste of racing and the joy of driving. The market version of the Aqua G Sports is scheduled for launch in the Japanese market in late November.
