The smallest in a trio of electric hybrids unveiled by Toyota in
Detroit was this, the iQ-based FT-EV concept. That this is the furthest away from production is clear just by looking at it (the
new Prius and the
Lexus HS 250h should both be here in 2010), but it signals how 2012's Toyota city car will work.
Designed for city dwellers and commuters, the battery-powered city car has a range of 50-miles on a single charge and a clever monitor inside that lets you, the eco-friendly driver, monitor energy flow - a posh fuel gauge, if you will.
And if the 'EV' stickers all over the bodywork didn't give the game away, some exterior design cues give away the newcomer's environmental remit. The wheel trims are smooth and have a large, slippery surface area, and the front radiator is gone, again in favour of aerodynamic smoothness. The gaping front light panel is pure futurism too.
Toyota will give us more details shortly, but it's another interesting study in the differing approaches being made by manufacturers as we head towards an electric future. The FT-EV will travel 10-miles further than the Chevrolet Volt on one charge, for example, but the latter is bigger and has a petrol-powered generator to extend its range.
We'll give you more on the FT-EV when we get it. In the meantime, you'll have to make do with the
petrol powered iQ.
Mark Nichol - 13 Jan 2009