What's this then?

This is the Toyota Fine Comfort Ride.

*sniggers*

Oh grow up, it's actually Toyota's latest Tokyo motor show concept (we've seen the other six already, including the GR HV hybrid sports car concept and TJ Cruiser MPV), but this one is really interesting.

It looks a bit like the Batmobile at the back.

Yes it does. And a bit like nothing much at all at the front, but the point here is that the Fine Comfort Ride has been designed from the inside out. It's powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and uses electric motors mounted directly to each wheel. That means that the body and cabin layout are much more flexible, so Toyota has given it a diamond shape (when seen from above) that means the rear seat passengers have more width and more space than normal.

I guess that's not the end of the on-board tech?

Absolutely not. It's also autonomous (you can turn control over to the computer and swivel the drivers' seat around to chat to those in the back) and it can monitor the driving situation when you're in control and step in if it thinks you need help.

The fuel cell system is pretty interesting too, and it could just be that fuel cells could be gearing up for an assault on electric cars. The Fine Comfort Ride can accelerate from 0-62mph in 5.4 seconds, and can go for as much as 370 miles on one tank of hydrogen. That tank also takes just three minutes to fill, according to Toyota.

That name, though.

Yeah, I know. Maybe it'll end up being called the new Camry if it ever makes production.

Neil Briscoe - 25 Oct 2017