Toyota looks to electric car business | The Car Tech blog - CNET Reviews At the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota unveiled the FT-EVII, an electric car concept. In putting together the FT-EVII, Toyota used its own off-the-shelf technologies, such as the iQ platform and components from its Synergy hybrid system. Although not on sale in the U.S., gasoline and diesel-powered Toyota iQs are sold in Japan and the U.K. For the power train, Toyota went to lithium ion batteries for the FT-EVII, as opposed to the nickel-metal-hydride power pack from its current hybrid vehicles. The Toyota FT-EVII is a new electric concept car based on the iQ platform. Toyota does away with a traditional steering wheel in favor of modern art. (Credit: Automotive News)
The badging is kind of cool but confusing. Is it Electric Synergy Drive? We all know that the current badge cleverly says HSD for Hybrid Synergy Drive. By keeping the "S" and the "D" parts of the badge, they are either throwing the subtlety of the initials out the window or introducing new initials. I really do like how the gray is like two prongs of a plug going into the "E".
Although the article says "Lithium Ion," the comment "Toyota also wanted to break away from traditional notions of automotive performance, so did away with a conventional steering wheel or foot pedals. Instead, the FT-EVII gets a weird-looking yoke" clearly indicates that Toyota is not taking this vehicle seriously. It's just marketing to attract people to their exhibit at the auto show. If Toyota had been serious, they would have displayed a real iQ or Yaris body on top of an electric drivetrain with a real steering wheel and gas pedal.
