Toyota Expands Concept-i Range

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At the Tokyo Motor Show 2017, Toyota’s Concept-i range of concept vehicles offers a glimpse into the future of mobility where artificial intelligence (AI) should allow cars and people to become partners. In addition to the four-wheeled Concept-i showcased by Toyota at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show early in the year, the Japanese car maker is now expanding its range with a compact electric scooter, as well as a narrower, four-wheeled vehicle, which is particularly suitable for the mobility-impaired. 

Concept-i Ride: two-seater controlled by a joystick

While the Concept-i showcased in Las Vegas is a 4.51-metre-long, four-seater electric car with a range of around 300 kilometres, the Concept-i-Ride debuting in Tokyo is a 2.50-metre long, two-seater with a range of up to 150 kilometres. Its gull-wing doors, which provide a large opening, and its seat, which can be electrically operated, should make the Ride also suitable for wheelchair users. The seat can slide completely to the side, making it easy for users to transfer easily between the wheelchair and the seat. The section behind the seat has been designed so that the wheelchair can easily be stored there. According to Toyota, this can all be done in a normal parking space because the Ride, which is controlled by a joystick rather than a steering wheel and pedals, is only 1.30 metres wide. The AI-equipped digital assistant is on board in all the models of the Concept-i series, and in the Concept-i Ride, the assistant is designed to provide travel and excursion information, such as for barrier-free facilities.

Concept-i Walk: an electric scooter on three wheels

At the Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota is showcasing the third member of the Concept-i range, the Concept-i Walk, which is like a scooter with three wheels, a variable wheelbase and compact dimensions that occupies no more space than a pedestrian in motion. The Walk is especially suited to pavements and pedestrian zones, for example. The Walk has a steering function, making it easy to control in contrast to vehicles controlled by moving the body. Riders can get on and off easily due to its lowered floor. The Walk also has an electric drive and should travel 10 to 20 kilometres on one charge. In dangerous situations, the vehicle warns the rider and takes measures to avoid a collision.

Both the Walk and the Ride should be suitable for sharing services.