Space Mobility. Foto: Toyota
With versatile premieres, Toyota gives a preview of the mobility of the future. In addition to next-generation electric vehicles, the automaker is showing what the company’s principle of “mobility for all” means with prototypes, technologies, tricycles and wheelchairs.
Land Cruiser Se off-road vehicle: Toyota puts the all-rounder under power: dressed in an elegant, stylish design, the sporty, robust Land Cruiser Se combines proven off-road capability with the high-torque driving performance of an electric car. The locally emission-free and virtually silent drive system enhances comfort in the interior, where three rows of seats can comfortably accommodate up to seven occupants. The monocoque body also offers responsive and safe handling in rough terrain.
Pick-up EPU: With the all-electric EPU Concept, Toyota is giving a preview of a next-generation mid-size pick-up. Thanks to its monocoque body, the more than five-meter-long concept vehicle is also capable of driving off paved roads. The large flatbed, which adjoins the crew cab, is suitable for a variety of tasks and gives users the flexibility they need for both commercial and leisure applications. The sporty, elegant design goes hand in hand with the low center of gravity typical of electric vehicles, which improves stability and – together with the low noise level – also ride comfort.
E-Tricycle Land Hopper: Fully electric for the last mile: Toyota’s Land Hopper three-wheeled e-mobility concept opens up new transportation options. The tricycle with two front wheels can be folded up easily and stowed in the trunk. Those who leave their car in the parking lot can thus travel on to their actual destination in comfort – practical in inner cities, for example. The small motorized bicycle is intended for people aged 16 and over; a driver’s license is not required. This gives both adolescents and senior citizens new freedom. The compact size and low seat height make it easy to get on and off. Excellent maneuverability and a pronounced lean mechanism resulting from the mechanically connected front wheels, which can also move up and down, create an intuitive, exciting riding experience that is incomparable to any car or bicycle.
JUU wheelchair: The all-electric JUU wheelchair combines style and driveability. The new mobility concept gives people with physical impairments the ability to move around freely and without assistance – even in places that are normally difficult to access with wheelchairs. When going up or down stairs, the two large drive wheels (main wheels) on the sides of the JUU master the steps, while the retractable rear folds down behind the backrest to stabilize the wheelchair and prevent it from tipping over. The JUU automatically assumes an optimal posture and can negotiate steps up to 16 centimeters high. The drive system uses motors from the automotive sector. The use of automotive components ensures high quality and reliability. Toyota is also researching other functions to enable the JUU to move autonomously into the rear of a car once the driver has moved from the wheelchair into the driver’s seat – and to roll back when the driver wants to get out.
Space prototype: Mission Moon: The prototype presented at the Toyota booth is intended for travel in space and is designed in particular to advance the development of appropriate propulsion technologies. Each wheel is equipped with its own motor and steering to enable safe and reliable maneuvering and progress in harsh and unforgiving extraterrestrial environments. The electrically powered prototype has excellent driving characteristics: it can negotiate boulders up to 50 centimeters high and climb 25-degree slopes. The technology refined with the prototype will be used in space vehicles such as the Lunar Cruiser.
