Sitting alongside the thrusting
FT-86 concept, aka the 'new Celica', at Toyota's
Tokyo Motor Show stand will be this, the FT-EV II. Amazingly, it's tinier than the
Toyota iQ city car yet seats four fully-limbed people - or so claims the Japanese maker.
The marvellous packaging promise is down to drive-by-wire tech that dispenses with cumbersome nonsense like the steering wheel and pedals, replacing them with a user-friendly joystick that performs the same functions. It has a 50-mile range and can exceed 60mph, we're told.
The body features sliding electric doors for easy access and visibility is improved by utilising see-through LEDs for rear lamps and adding an extra pane below the traditional windscreen.
Mark Nichol - 7 Oct 2009