Japan’s largest car maker is investing heavily in electric cars, unveiling a range of exciting machines at the 2023 Tokyo motor show.
2023 Lexus LF-ZC concept car. Picture: Supplied.
Toyota says it wants to change the future of cars.
It’s a bold claim for a car maker that has been slow to develop electric cars but at this year’s Tokyo motor show the Japanese giant has shown its intent, displaying multiple electric concepts.
The wild new Toyota FTSe concept from the 2023 Japan Mobility Show. Picture: Supplied.
The FT-Se concept is a low slung sports car concept that moves the GR Sport brand into the electric era, ditching a high-performance turbo petrol engine for electric motors.
It brings a next-generation cockpit that has intuitive controls and an immersive driving experience with a seating position that is low and forward.
Toyota FTSe concept is similar in size to the brand’s MR2 sports car of yesteryear. Picture: Supplied.
Toyota’s FT-3e concept electric SUV concept is designed to enrich the daily driving experiences of customers with intuitive and personalised services.
There are some head-turning features including digital displays on the lower side of the body to the upper door to provide information such as battery charge, cabin temperature and air quality.
Toyota Motor President Koji Sato with the FT-3e SUV concept. Picture:: Kazuhiro NOGI/AFP
There are over the air software updates and you can share energy via a “Grid Mode”.
Toyota also revealed an electric ute and LandCruiser four-wheel drive, two massively popular vehicles in Australia.
The vehicles aren’t yet slated for production but Toyota Australia head of sales and marketing Sean Hanley says the local division would put their hand up if they were available. If they make it to production, the chances of Australia getting them would be “extremely good”.
Toyota is flirting with the notion of an electric LandCruiser. Picture: Supplied.
Toyota global boss Koji Sato says the brand wants a diverse product range to meet the diverse range of customers around the world
To meet this Toyota also showed off a next-generation electric SUV, sports car and a multipurpose truck dubbed the IMV-0. The latter is confirmed for production and will be aimed at Asia but Hanley says the model isn’t a good fit for Australia right now and the market is already covered by a comprehensive HiLux line-up.
The Toyota EPU concept points to an electric ute for the future. Picture: Supplied.
“We don’t take every car. I mean, there’s cars in the US, Europe and Asia and there are cars in Australia. We don’t take them all but we take what’s suitable for our customers,” he says.
Lexus is getting in on the act too, delivering on its “The Future is Electric” mantra with the radically styled LF-ZC concept.
Lexus models of the future will have huge displays in the cabin. Picture: Supplied.
It’s a low slung and edgy sports sedan concept car that is set for launch in 2026.
It’s slightly longer than Lexus’ old IS sedan but is less than 1400mm tall and the distance between the front and rear wheels is almost as big as the current Toyota LandCruiser.
It also has extremely efficient aerodynamics that make it as slippery as possible, which helps improve the range of electric cars.
The Lexus LF-ZC concept car points to a battery-powered sedan of the future. Picture: Supplied.
Lexus says the LF-ZC will be built on the company’s next generation architecture that it promises will move the industry forward.
It will debut new battery technology that Lexus says will double the range of current electric cars. It says the batteries will be smaller, lighter with more power and range than current examples.
The LF-ZC will usher in a range of new technologies for the company including its Arene software that will allow for over-the-air updates and multiple apps that users can access via their vehicles.
Lexus has big plans for the electric age.
Lexus says its new architecture will be extremely flexible and will be able to accommodate a range of vehicles to suit all its customers’ needs.
Keyword: Toyota, Lexus unveil Tokyo motor show concepts