The new Toyota FT-Me Concept is a small, urban-focused, Citroën-Ami rivalling "micro car” that showcases the future of mobility, claims Toyota.
Dubbed a micro car rather than a quadricycle because of its claimed usability, the 2.5m-long EV is a signal of intent for the Japanese brand to move into the urban mobility space.
“This is a big piece in the wider mobility jigsaw,” said Stijn Peeters, its head of new mobility projects.
The concept will spawn a near-identical production model “very soon” – as well as an array of other vehicles.
Pricing the FT-Me to be competitive with the £7695 Ami, Toyota is targeting those after a second runabout and teenagers wanting independence before they're legally allowed to drive a standard car.
As it's designated an L6e quadricycle, most European countries allow drivers aged from 14, although the UK doesn't.
The FT-Me's key is controlled by its owners’ phones. Parents can set limits on when their children can access – and therefore use – the car.
It has space for two inside, or the “light” passenger seat can be removed to create a storage space 1.6m in length.
The car is controlled by a square, almost yoke-like, wheel. In a nod to its “mobility for everyone” mantra, it can be completely driven using said wheel, meaning those with disabilities – especially concerning their legs – can control it.
Its design was inspired by a helmet - to convey safety - and it's built from 90% recycled materials. A roof-mounted solar panel can add up to 19 miles of range per day.
Join the debate
Add your comment
Interesting that it does away with pedals - I have thought for a while now that their days may be numbered. Must make so many engineering aspects easier to manage.
Ugh, yet another charmless graduate of origami robot school od design. The Ami, especially the laster verision does it better and the Topolino even more so.