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The FT-3e concept which debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show alongside the FT-Se sports car concept, is a preview of Toyota's second electric SUV. A sleek five-seat 4x4 with a design language based on the Toyota bZ4x is teased by the FT-3e.
Toyota FT-3e SUV design
Toyota claims that its eye-catching design was built with the help of AI to make it "as simple as possible," with sleek, aero-optimized lines and a pronounced belt line similar to the Land Rover Defender. It will also have a bumper-width rear light bar, squared-off paneling, and a new alloy wheel design in the same color as the bodywork. When the driver approaches the car, digital displays extend from the foot of the wheel arch up to the door mirror, providing information such as battery charge condition, interior temperature, and air quality. It also gets its own light pattern along the door sills which is intended to be unique to Toyota's electric SUVs.
Toyota FT-3e SUV platform
The vehicle is built on the same platform as the FT-Se concept, which permits a "low center of gravity" without compromising performance, range, or interior room, all of which are crucial for an SUV. In order to maximize inside space, the FT-3e, which is twinned with the Lexus LF-ZL concept, has a massive wheelbase of 3,350mm and measures 5,300mm long, 2,200mm wide, and 1,700mm high. The CEO of Toyota, Koji Sato, stated during the introduction that the company's upcoming cars will have “a low center of gravity and a spacious interior,” something that this platform allowed for that "was not possible in the past." Toyota's next generation of battery technology is driving this quest for a lower center of gravity to improve aerodynamics and hence range. According to the company, lowering the height of the battery is a critical aspect in improving efficiency since it allows for a lower, more aerodynamic design that minimizes drag.
Toyota FT-3e SUV features
The vehicle has been created as a "lifestyle partner" to make the driver's life as "stress-free" as possible, according to the business and the car also allows them to customize the ride quality and access information about their surroundings via the infotainment screen. As a result, it is a "one-of-a-kind cherished vehicle." The ability to do your shopping (details were limited, although it was intimated that you could buy products ahead of time and pick them up on arrival) to using vehicle-to-grid technologies to push additional electric charge back into the grid when plugged in will "transform" the use of the car. Details such as range are yet unknown, but the company is working on a next-generation lithium-ion High-Performance battery pack with a range of 621 miles (about 994 kilometers) to replace the Performance battery in the lineup. Toyota claims that it will be 10% cheaper to produce.