Five new Toyota vehicle concepts will make their world debut at the Tokyo motor show on 20 November, including the latest development of the Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) concept, under the banner “Fun to Drive Again”.

The FCV, which previews a production model scheduled for launch as early as next year, will be shown alongside concepts that look to the future for taxis and compact MPVs, and the FV2 (Fun Vehicle 2) concept, a car engineered to communicate Toyota’s “fun-to-drive” philosophy.

Toyota FCV Concept (pictured above)

The FCV Concept previews the fuel cell vehicle Toyota plans to launch around 2015 as part of its plan to develop hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Toyota claims its hydrogen fuel cell technology has given the car a range of at least 300 miles (500km) on a full tank and a refuelling time of around three minutes – roughly the same as for a petrol or diesel vehicle.

The FCV Concept’s exterior design includes a front end that features pronounced air intakes, while an air-to-water theme is captured in the flowing liquid profile of the doors, a wave motif on the filler cap and a rear-end treatment inspired by the stern of a catamaran.

The powertrain features Toyota’s fuel cell stack and a pair of high-pressure (70mPa) hydrogen tanks, located beneath the specially designed body. This FCV can carry up to four occupants.

The Toyota FC stack has a 3kW/l power output density, which is more than twice that of the system previously used in the FCHV-adv concept, and a maximum power output of at least 100kW. It is also equipped with a boost converter. By increasing the voltage, Toyota says it has been able to make the motor smaller and reduce the number of fuel cells, leading to a system that is more compact overall, yet delivers improved performance at reduced cost.

Driving aside, a fully fuelled vehicle can provide enough electricity – 10kW/h – to power an average Japanese family home for a week.

The FCV measures 4,870mm long, 1,810mm wide and 1,535mm high. The wheelbase is 2,780mm.

Toyota FV2

The FV2 aims to capture Toyota’s fun-to-drive philosophy, while harnessing advanced future vehicle technologies to form stronger physical and emotional connections with the driver.

Physical connection: the FV2 doesn’t have a steering wheel; instead, it is operated by the driver shifting his or her body intuitively to move the vehicle forwards or back, left or right. It also uses intelligent transport system technology to connect with other vehicles nearby and highway infrastructure to capture safety information, for example giving advance warning of vehicles in blind spots or at junctions.

Emotional connection: Toyota designers believe the relationships between drivers and their vehicles will continue to develop aspects of trust and understanding, similar to those a rider will have with a horse. It has taken technology from the Toyota Heart Project—a communication and artificial intelligence research project on the theme of Inspiring the Heart, Inspiring You—to allow the driver and FV2 to develop a relationship. The vehicle uses voice and image recognition to determine the driver’s mood; it can use accumulated driving history to suggest destinations; and can present driving skills information to assist the driver. An augmented reality (AR) display can be presented on the windscreen and the body colour and exterior display can be changed at will.

To give a sense of how this works, Toyota has created a dedicate smartphone application that lets users enjoy something of the FV2 driving experience. The application, released today, can be downloaded free through the Apple AppStore and Google Play platforms.

JPN Taxi Concept

The Tokyo motor show will mark the public debut of Toyota’s new JPN Taxi Concept, a next-generation model that focuses on Japanese-style hospitality. It’s designed for easy passenger access with large, electric doors and a low, flat floor. The open cabin can seat five.

Powered by a new LPG hybrid system, the concept has been designed in line with Japanese government guidelines for accessible buses and taxis that meet regional needs.

Voxy and Noah concepts

Toyota is using the opportunity of the Tokyo motor show to unveil new concepts for Voxy and Noah, two seven-seat compact MPV models for the Japanese market. Production versions based on these concepts are due for launch early in 2014.

Source: Toyota

Tags: 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, car design, concept car, FCV, fuel cell vehicle, FV2, hydrogen, JPN Taxi, LPG hybrid, MPV, Noah, taxi, Toyota, Toyota Heart Project, Voxy