Move over Ami - Toyota reckons its new city car could do the average commute powered entirely by the sun.
The new FT-Me concept is a 2.5-metre long electric vehicle designed to rival the Citroën Ami. But unlike its French competitor, Toyota’s offering packs a solar roof that could add 20 miles’ worth of charge every day, even if it’s cloudy.
At just under 2.5 metres long, the FT-me is marginally longer than the Citroën Ami’s 2.41m, but Toyota claims its packaging maximises interior space while retaining ultra-tight manoeuvrability.
The styling is more futuristic than the Ami too, apparently being inspired by a jet pilot’s helmet, with black and white panels and a large glass area. The design also incorporates elements from Toyota’s ‘mobility solutions’ concepts used at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The interior is more innovative. There is no screen at all, with the FT-Me relying on the user’s smartphone to become the instrument panel and infotainment system. It also replaces the key. To save the driver from having to prod the screen while on the move, there are buttons on the rectangular steering wheel.
These can also be configured so the FT-Me can be driven solely by using hand movements on the steering wheel, so it can be operated by wheelchair uses without the need for aftermarket modification.
While the FT-Me is a two seater, the lightweight passenger seat can be easily removed and folds, so the space next to the driver can be used for a folding bike, wheelchair or loads up to 1.6m long.
Toyota claims the FT-Me’s solar roof generates up to 30 km of daily range in cities, potentially eliminating the need for plug-in charging for many users and adding to the range from the small battery – full technical details have not been released yet.
However, the legal requirements around quadricycles such as the Ami and FT-me mean that the little Toyota will be limited to 28mph.
Toyota hasn’t disclosed prices, but acknowledges that it will have to compete with Netflix and mobile phone subscriptions in terms of monthly cost, which suggests a price of around £30 a month in countries with incentives.
