At a press event in Brussels last week, Toyota unveiled two new electric vehicles and also announced plans to build battery vehicles in the UK in the future.
It was, however, a tiny new two-seater electric model that captured many of the headlines.
The FT-Me is a concept that could capitalise on the success of other ‘micro-cars’ such as Stellantis’s Citroën Ami, the Swiss-made Microlino, and a number of Chinese models that are built more for city driving than the open road.
Measuring just 2.5 metres (around 8 feet) in length, it is slightly larger than the Citroën Ami but still takes up just over half of an average parking space.
It is also narrow, taking up just a third of that average parking space width.
In some spots, depending on the location and regulations, it could even be driven ‘nose in’ to an on-street parking space.
In some European countries, including France, it could even be classed as a quadricycle, meaning that it could be driven by 14-year-olds without a full licence.
Beyond its compact size, one of the most intriguing things about the concept car is its in-built solar panel roof.
Solar roof could eliminate the need to plug in for some users
Toyota says that this feature can add 20km to 30km (13 to 18 miles) of driving range per day, even in overcast urban environments.
This could be enough for light use and most commutes without having to charge the battery at all.
Even when you do need to plug it in, the electric drivetrain is designed to consume three times less energy per km than an average electric car.
Toyota did not reveal the technical specs of the battery or provide a range for the FT-Me at the event, but it seems certain that it will be enough for city driving purposes, especially with the additional range from the solar panel.
Adding to its green credentials, the car is built mostly from recycled materials, which Toyota says will reduce its production carbon footprint by 90% compared to current city vehicles.
The car will be operated entirely by hand with no foot pedals, making it suitable for wheelchair users.
Despite its small size, the passenger seat can also be folded flat to allow a wheelchair to be packed in.
It is also designed to seamlessly link up with mobile devices and smartphone apps, which can also act as a digital key.
Today’s news was brought to you by TD SYNNEX – the UK’s number one solutions distributor.
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