Photo: Toyota Motor Corp
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Toyota releases compact 2-seater EV for corporate users, local gov'ts

20 Comments

Toyota Motor Corp has announced a limited launch of the C+pod ultra-compact battery electric vehicle (BEV) to corporate users, local governments and other organizations that have been exploring new options to drive the popularization of BEVs.

Toyota said it plans to further promote the establishment of systems for popularizing BEVs, including development of new business models, and to conduct a full-scale launch including to individual customers by 2022.

The new C+pod is an environmentally-friendly two-seater BEV designed as a mobility option that improves per-person energy efficiency. In addition to short-distance daily use, the C+pod is also aimed at corporate users visiting customers on a regular basis, and at users in urban or mountainous communities needing safe, unrestricted, and environmentally-friendly transportation options.

To drive further popularization of BEVs, Toyota is expanding its product lineup and forming open collaborations as it works to build new business models. In Japan, it is focusing initially on the C+pod, Walking Area BEVs, and Toyota i-Road, with more than 200 corporate and local government partners currently involved in exploring new transportation models.

Toyota said the launch of the C+pod will also demonstrate new services specific to BEVs. One of those services is Toyota Green Charge, a joint project developed with Chubu Electric Power Miraiz Co Inc to offer a single point of contact for corporations seeking support when constructing optimal charging facilities or developing electricity plans for BEVs, such as CO2-free power. The service will be jointly implemented in collaboration with Chubu Electric Power Miraiz, Kansai Electric Power Co and TEPCO Energy Partner. Other services in planning include the electric-vehicle sharing service that combines tourist information with the Toyota Share car-sharing service to promote sightseeing and excursions.

Source: Toyota Motor Corp

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20 Comments
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Thanks, Peeping Tom.

100km range in 2021?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Toyota releases compact 2-seater EV for corporate users, local gov'ts

Read: not yet minimum viable product (no range information), for early adopters virtue signalling on taxpayers' dime?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

"Read: not yet minimum viable product (no range information"

"Toyota's new EV is expected to be priced around 1.6 million to 1.7 million yen ($15,500 to $16,400), excluding subsidies. It is expected to have a range of around 100 km per charge.

The new EV will be equipped with a lithium-ion battery made by Tokyo based-Prime Planet Energy & Solutions, a joint venture between Panasonic and Toyota."

"https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Automobiles/Toyota-to-launch-two-seater-ultracompact-EV-in-2021"

It took less than 20 seconds to find it.

Thanks, Google!

2 ( +4 / -2 )

@desert tortise man seriously? i'm talking about development and mass production of solid state batteries. judging by the patents, toyota is at the moment unrivalled with 1000+ patents in solid state batteries vs the second being Quantumscape(backed by volkswagon and bill gates (300patents)) toyota is on track to mass produce solid state batteries before 2025 vs quantumscape who is expecting to mass produce solid state batteries in 2028. by range and charging time, toyota is expected to beat quantumscape by a large margin.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

No car will suit all the people all of the time. For an educated guess at what is "enough car", this is more aggressively minimalist than most.

Instead of trying somehow to make a 500km range EV, it would be more eco to educate people or get people used to the idea that they don't need 500km range. You can simply rent a gasoline car the once or twice a year you drive that far.

The next eco step is to eradicate the car journey altogether with a bicycle, electric motorcycle, or online meeting.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

@Samit Basu. of course yes. they aren't gonna release this outside of Japan. Toyota already has confirmed EV suv's to be sold in other markets in 2021 and is ready to introduce the new revolutionary prototype of a solid state batteries for EV with 10 min charging time, the best safety standards and a range of 500+ kilometers. toyota is also Fully to introduce a new brand for EV's(was supposed to happen in tokyo 2020 but is postponed to 2021).

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Toyota already has confirmed EV suv's to be sold in other markets in 2021 and is ready to introduce the new revolutionary prototype of a solid state batteries for EV with 10 min charging time, the best safety standards and a range of 500+ kilometers. toyota is also Fully to introduce a new brand for EV's(was supposed to happen in tokyo 2020 but is postponed to 2021).

The technology you refer to belongs to John Goodenough, co-inventor of the lithium-ion battery and is being developed in cooperation with Hydro-Quebec. Any use of this tech will be licenses through him in the manner of Li batteries and won't be exclusive to Toyota. Separately Hydro-Quebec is working with Daimler Benz on a second generation solid state lithium metal polymer battery technology.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Bhahahaa...What a joke.

Japan's number one company and its ingenuity.

The German's are decades ahead and released this in early 90s.

As Michael Porter stated around the same period, Japan has no strategy!

Japanese companies will be decimated in coming years to global competition.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

@Bakakuma pretty sure that Japanese did this before germans. read about the rav4 EV.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Give me a Microlino, with space for two people and three beer crates, instead:

https://microlino-car.com/en/microlino

0 ( +1 / -1 )

There's something you don't understand, which is the most blatantly obvious detail: 100km range in an inner city environment in a 2-seater vehicle intended for commutes between offices (and locations in mountainous regions) is far in excess of what is required under those conditions on a daily basis.

I hear you, Hillclimber. What I'm seeing is Toyota borrowing from other industries by releasing v 1.01 to captive early adopters while it develops battery capacity and creature comforts for consumer-friendly kei EVs. But Bangalore company Reva's 2 seater already had a 120km range in 2009. Unbelievable.

They've done their Nemawashi with Nagatacho, who've requested the regions to polish their SDG lapel pins and pretend to be green. As it's 1 of 46 Keidanren permanent committee companies, 1, 600 members will line up to stick their logos and ecospiels on the doors.

What I'd have preferred to see is Toyota already releasing more viable, longer range product for these same corporates to replace their Corollas and Proboxes with. It is 2021, after all. Contrary to what Samit Basu says, it could sell in Italy's ancient (and now EV-only) town centres, but it's up against the beloved Smart.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Does anyone in Japan drive more than 100 km each way to work and back home? Batteries are costly to buy, costly to replace and create a waste stream of hazardous materials to be recycled eventually. This car seems to take a "good enough for the purpose" approach to the problem of the urban commuter. It assumes the car will be recharged while parked at home and one's place of employment. If that keeps the price down then it can be a thing of beauty.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

i'm talking about development and mass production of solid state batteries. judging by the patents, toyota is at the moment unrivalled with 1000+ patents in solid state batteries vs the second being Quantumscape(backed by volkswagon and bill gates (300patents)) toyota is on track to mass produce solid state batteries before 2025 vs quantumscape who is expecting to mass produce solid state batteries in 2028. by range and charging time, toyota is expected to beat quantumscape by a large margin.

No one has yet produced even a laboratory prototype solid state battery stack that meets the needs of the EV industry, much less something that can be mass produced inexpensively and that, obtw, can withstand a couple of thousand charging cycles. There are lots of possible approaches in terms of cathode, electrode and electrolyte materials, which is why there is a blizzard of patents, but nothing yet of a size and power output suitable for use in an EV. At this point proof of concept hasn't been demonstrated. Don't necessarily believe the breathless hype in some electronics journals until there are producible working prototypes in the field powering cars.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Doesn't stand a chance of selling outside of Japan.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Lucky if smart doesn’t sue them

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

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