Toyota is using the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show as a sounding board for several clean-vehicle concepts. The automaker’s most interesting concept is the FT-EV II, which builds on the original FT-EV shown at the North American International Auto Show this January. The most practical of these concepts is the plug-in Prius model that is slated for release in Japan in the near future. Toyota is also premiering its FT-86 sports car notable for its sleek design and rear-wheel drive system.
The Toyota FT-EV II is a diminutive four-seat vehicle with innovative drive-by-wire technology. Drivers of the future would be able to steer, speed up and slow down using joysticks connected to the drive-by-wire system. The absence of gas and brake pedals creates greater leg room on the driver’s side ideal for taller owners. The FT-EV II is capable of hitting 62 miles per hour, which would make it a viable option for highway commuters. The 56-mile range of the FT-EV II would allow drivers to run errands without running out of power. While the FT-EV II is not slated for production, the drive-by-wire technology promoted by Toyota may be incorporated in future models.
The plug-in Toyota Prius combines the automaker’s lithium-ion battery and third-generation Prius modeling. This model is capable of traveling up to 12 miles on all-electric power before recharging is required. Toyota claims that the plug-in Prius is rechargeable to full capacity within 100 minutes using a 200-volt outlet and 180 minutes with a 100-volt outlet. The plug-in Prius is touted as a super-efficient hybrid with an estimated fuel mileage of 130 miles per gallon. Toyota will expand on these scant details as the Tokyo Motor Show approaches but the early returns on the plug-in Prius sound promising.
Toyota has been passed in recent months by Nissan and other automakers releasing all-electric vehicles within the next five years. The automaker wants its Tokyo Motor Show presentation to regain this buzz by showing how its green vehicle lines will progress in the future. The plug-in Prius is a step forward though green-vehicle advocates are increasingly viewing Toyota as overly cautious with its new vehicle lines. The FT-EV II sounds promising but the drive-by-wire technology and limited range will likely not translate into a production version of this vehicle in the future. In the end, Toyota must use its Tokyo showing and other opportunities to prove that it still has the magic touch in a rapidly evolving green vehicle market.
