Although Toyota has already opted for the electric car, it is well known that its first steps in this field have been a failure. Yes, they have the Toyota bZ4X in their catalog, but they didn’t get it right with its technology and it gives a very fair range despite its high price. We already know that they are preparing their new generation of electric cars, but now they have begun to give more details about it and have shown us, for the first time, what will become a rival to the MG 4. And also other models in the C segment such as the Renault Mégane E-Tech, the BYD Dolphin, or the Volkswagen ID.3.
Toyota is getting its act together, and never better said. A few weeks ago they showed us their next-generation batteries with lower costs and better range, in addition to a very remarkable fast charging system. Just a few hours ago we learned that their solid electrolyte batteries are almost ready to begin mass production, probably before CATL or BYD. Well, all this technology is what is going to be used in those new generation electric cars, among which is the Toyota FT-3e. They have shown it at the Tokyo Motor Show and it is a compact crossover that aims to rival the MG 3 or the BYD Dolphin, as well as the Volkswagen ID.3 and the BYD Atto 3, among many others.
The new Toyota FT-3e will be a fully electric compact crossover with the Japanese brand’s new generation batteries
At the moment Toyota is reserving the technical details of the Toyota FT-3e, and with this prototype what they have taught us is the design concept of a compact crossover that will soon be part of its bZ range. Which, by the way, has very angular shapes and, in a way, introduces new features compared to the design language that has already been reflected, for example, in the latest generation of the recently released Toyota CH-R. What is expected is that this future electric SUV fits below the Toyota bZ4X, which measures 4.69 meters long, and therefore fits in the C segment.
Toyota recently talked about that, among other things, in their next electric vehicles they are going to reduce the height of their batteries so that the center of gravity of their new vehicles is lower. This will not only help with better dynamic behavior but, above all, will promote better aerodynamics to achieve greater range. Indeed, it is something that we can see for the first time in the Toyota FT-3e, which broadly anticipates how the Japanese brand is going to face its upcoming launches. This ‘concept’ is not so much an SUV, but rather a crossover, and changes the concept compared to what was seen with the Toyota bZ4X.
Over the past few years, Toyota has fallen far behind its rivals when it comes to technology inside all of its vehicles. And yet, with the Toyota FT-3e, they show us that they are betting on a digital instrument panel supported by the usual large multimedia screen and, in addition to that, by two other additional screens in a vertical orientation on each side of the steering wheel. A technological display never before seen in the brand and also comes with two extra screens that serve to provide alternative vision to conventional rearview mirrors.
The most curious thing is that they have not given an official arrival date for the production version of the Toyota FT-3e and that, as we mentioned previously, they wanted to keep the performance of this ‘concept car’ a secret in terms of its power, its battery and also its range. It seems that they want to keep the details to themselves to make them official later. For now, what we can stay with is an important change in philosophy and a greater commitment to technology, in addition to an avant-garde design and a turn towards crossover bodies, instead of sticking to the pure concept of an SUV with a greater height. free to the ground.
