Toyota Electric Car News From Japan Mobility Show

If a three-row electric SUV doesn’t float your boat, what about a battery electric pickup truck that is about the size of the new Ford Maverick? Ford didn’t quite have the courage to make its small pickup a pure EV, but a hybrid version is selling like hotcakes.

This unibody concept looks nearly production ready and — depending on price — could tap a market segment that has no competition at the present time. Not everyone needs a diesel-powered, 6-wheel pickup truck that can haul an 8-horse trailer like the ones we see on Yellowstone. A small trucklet that can haul a few items would serve the needs of most people, especially with that two-piece tailgate that flips up to keep things from sliding out the back of the load bed.

Whether there is a midgate planned is unknown at this point, but it could make the EPU just the ticket for hauling longer items on occasion. Here is what Toyota has to say about the EPU:

• Next-generation mid-size pickup truck concept, with a monocoque body delivering high durability to create a practical yet stylish BEV. At just over 5 meters long with a double cab design, the EPU’s monocoque structure also allows for a versatile deck space that caters to a broader range of user applications.
• The rear of the cabin links boldly with the deck to accommodate diverse user preferences, supporting a wide range of mobility lifestyles, including outdoor activities.
• BEV quietness is accompanied by packaging with a low center of gravity for superior handling stability and ride comfort.
• Length (mm) / Width (mm) / Height (mm) — 5,070 / 1,910 / 1,710
• Wheelbase (mm) — 3,350
• Passenger capacity — 5

Courtesy of Toyota

Land Hopper Concept

Courtesy of Toyota

At the opposite end of the electric mobility realm from the Land Cruiser Se is the Land Hopper Concept. Here’s what Toyota has to say about it:

• Three-wheeled electric personal mobility concept, with two front wheels opening up new transport possibilities. A foldable design makes for easy storage even with limited car trunk space. When combined with a car, the Land Hopper expands the pleasures of travel, including touring around destinations.
• Can be ridden without a driver’s license* (by those aged 16 or older). Expands user’s scope of travel and supports independence at different life stages, including serving as mobility for seniors who choose to give up their licenses.
• Compact body size and low seat height make reaching the ground and getting on/off easier. Outstanding maneuverability and distinctive lean mechanism, which allows the mechanically linked front wheels to move up and down, offer an intuitive, exhilarating ride unlike any car or bicycle.

• Length (mm) / Width (mm) / Height (mm) — 1,355 / 600 / 930
• Wheelbase (mm) — 1,020
• Passenger capacity — 1

Juu Concept

Courtesy of Toyota

Next up is a battery-powered motorized wheelchair that Toyota says will revolutionize mobility for people with disabilities.

Space Mobility Prototype

Courtesy of Toyota

For those who need an electric vehicle to traverse distant moons or planets, Toyota has just the answer — the Space Mobility Concept. No production plans have been announced. Toyota says:

• An experimental vehicle for advancing development, particularly of drive system technologies, aimed at creating mobility for use on the moon and in outer space. Each wheel is fitted with its own motor and steering, as part of specifications being developed to provide safe, reliable driving even in rugged and unforgiving extraterrestrial environments.
• Electric-powered with outstanding driving performance, capable of navigating boulders up to 50 cm tall and climbing steep 25° slopes. The technology honed through this prototype will be used in space mobility vehicles such as the LUNAR CRUISER.
• Length (mm) / Width (mm) / Height (mm) — 3,460 / 2,175 / 1,865
• Passenger capacity — 2
• Maximum ascent incline (deg) — 25

NEO Steer Concept

Courtesy of Toyota

Finally, at the Japan Mobility Show, Toyota introduced its NEO Steer prototype, a yoke-like device that moves the throttle controls to the steering device where they are operated by hands instead of feet. Why would anyone want to do that? Well, it would allow people who have lost the use of their legs or feet to operate a car and Toyota says it gives drivers a superb view of the road ahead. How serious the company is about this technology is uncertain. Here’s what Toyota has to say about it:

• A new cockpit concept based on motorcycle handlebars, integrating the functions of the accelerator and brake pedals into the steering wheel.
• A sweeping field of vision made possible by the steering wheel’s irregular profile, and the roomy pedal-free floor space, enable an unrestricted driving position along with smooth entry and exit. The NEO Steer will help foster greater love for cars, and deliver the joy and excitement of mobility for all. Also offers safe, intuitive hand-operated driving for users with lower limb impairments.

The Takeaway

Some of these concepts and prototypes are interesting, and the idea of a 3-row electric SUV is pretty exciting. But what really lights our fire is the EPU electric pickup. That is a vehicle that could catapult Toyota from zero to hero in the electric car world in a hurry. Build it and they will come — in droves.