Toyota booth opening presentation at the Tokyo Mobility Show on Oct. 25, 2023
It’s now trite to say – “The cars of the future are here” – as the new cars that are launched come with features recently presented as those in the car-of-tomorrow. That’s how fast technology has been transforming products and services. You read about a concept today, and in a short time, its carried in the products of today.
Then, why not change the future of cars? At the Tokyo Mobility Show, Toyota takes that as the next step with its theme – Let’s change the future of cars – Find your own future.
The future of mobility is presented by three stories told by Koji Sato, president and CEO, “communicating a mobility future full of diversity.” The stories are reflected by the vehicles at the exhibit — BEVs (battery electric vehicles), IMV-0 (Innovative international multipurpose vehicles), and the Kayoibako, a versatile vehicle for business or leisure, or both.
Toyota Kayoibako
IMV-0
The IMV0 will deliver Toyota’s “mobility for all” vision through vehicles that will be the platform for customers to expand their value.
“For example, it can transport lots of fruits and vegetables harvested in fields. Arriving in the city, it quickly transforms into a farm stand. In a city square, it can turn into a coffee shop or a food truck.
At night, it can become a bar or even a DJ booth,” Mr. Sato said at the opening presentation.
IMV-0 can be a capsule bar
At the booth, two vehicles display this as a food truck and a mini bar.
He said the IMV 0 will soon launch in Asia, where lots of ideas for how to customize it are already circulating. Since 2004, the IMV has served people’s needs for mobility and business.
FT-Se at the center stage on press day at the Toyota booth at the Tokyo Mobility Show on Oct. 25, 2023
BEVs
Electric cars are not only eco-friendly, they “also offer their own flavor of driving fun and automotive seasoning,” Mr. Sato said to a fully packed stage area during the opening day for the press on Oct. 25.
“We are making battery EVs like only a true carmaker can. This means revisiting the fundamental principles of car making, and delivering basic performance, like driving range, as well as value that only battery EVs can offer. One example is making cars with both a low center of gravity and a spacious interior, which was not possible in the past. To do this, we need to make the main components much smaller and lighter, and deploy our strengths as a carmaker to put them together in the best package possible. Achieving this means that the design, the driving feel, and everything else can be transformed.”
People, cars, community
Connecting people, cars and the community is what the next-generation BEVs and software will do.
“Creating these electrified vehicles, and meeting the diversifying needs of customers around the world, requires multi-pathway approaches. One of these approaches is hardware expandability to give people the cars that are just right for them. Cars are essential to people's work and personal lives.”
Concept vehicles display
The story of vehicles that will change the future is also told by the four concept vehicles that stood on another stage – the Land Cruiser Se with high-torque driving performance; EPU next generation mid-size pickup truck; Land Hopper, a three-wheeled electric personal mobility concept; JUU electric wheelchair; and the space mobility prototype, for mobility on the mood and outer space.
Land Cruiser Se concept
The Land Cruiser Se concept vehicle with high-torque driving performance unique to BEVs, three-row seating for seven, and a monocoque body also offers highly responsive handling and confidence in tackling rough terrain.
Land Cruiser Se concept
EPU pickup truck
The EPU mid-size pickup truck is just over five meters long with a double cab design and allows versatile deck space for various user applications.
Land Hopper
This concept is a three-wheeled electric personal mobility vehicle with a foldable design for easy storage in the car trunk space to expand the possibilities of going around destinations.
EPU pickup truck concept with Land Hopper
JUU Electric Wheelchair
This is a concept of an electric wheelchair that offers the user the freedom to travel unassisted. When climbing or descending a stairway, the two large main wheels on the sides traverse the steps, while the retractable tail flips down from behind the backrest to stabilize the wheelchair. It can negotiate steps up to 16 cm tall. Toyota said it is developing “advanced functions that would enable the JUU to autonomously move and load itself into the rear of a car after the user has boarded the vehicle, and return to the driver's seat when the user wants to alight.”
JUU Electric Wheelchair concept
Space mobility prototype
This is an experimental vehicle for advancing development, particularly of drive system technologies. Each wheel is fitted with its own motor and steering. It is electric-powered and capable of navigating boulders up to 50 cm tall and climbing steep 25-degree slopes. The technology developed through this prototype will be used in space mobility vehicles such as the Lunar Cruiser.
Tokyo Mobility Show
The Tokyo Mobility Show opened to the public Oct. 28 until Nov. 5, at the Tokyo Big Sight. Formerly known as the Tokyo Motor Show, the new face of the exhibit has gathered 475 exhibitors presenting mobility in various forms and applications. It is organized by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA).