{"id":170616,"date":"2010-01-12T13:09:24","date_gmt":"2010-01-12T18:09:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.egmcartech.com\/?p=48857"},"modified":"2010-01-12T13:09:24","modified_gmt":"2010-01-12T18:09:24","slug":"2010-detroit-toyota-ft-ch-dedicated-hybrid-concept-hints-at-smaller-prius","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/170616","title":{"rendered":"2010 Detroit: Toyota FT-CH dedicated hybrid concept hints at smaller Prius"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2010<\/p>\n

The 2010 North American International Auto Show press preview days have been full of announcements and unveilings. One of the more interesting ones however, has been the Toyota FT-CH dedicated hybrid concept.<\/p>\n

Designed in Europe and engineered with cutting edge electric drive technology, the FT-CH is a concept that addresses Toyota’s mission to develop a ‘Prius family’ of vehicles that will grow to include plug-in hybrids, battery electrics, and a few years down the road, hydrogen fuel cells.<\/p>\n

Toyota has long been on the forefront of automobile electrification, bringing to market the RAV4 EV in the late 90’s, and the Prius today being a symbol of the hybrid movement in general. That being said, there are no present plans to produce the FT-CH, but they do plan to launch eight all-new hybrid models over the next few years and to sell one million hybrid units per year globally in the early part of this decade. Read below for Toyota’s press release and images of the car at the 2010 North American International Auto Show.<\/p>\n

Make the jump for the press release and the high-res gallery<\/em>.<\/p>\n

2010 Detroit: Toyota FT-CH Concept<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\"2010<\/a> \"2010<\/a> \"2010<\/a> \"2010<\/a><\/p>\n

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All Photos Copyright \u00a9 2009 Stephen Calogera \u2013 egmCarTech<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n

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Press Release:<\/strong><\/p>\n

DETROIT, January 11, 2010—Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A, Inc., today unveiled the FT-CH dedicated hybrid concept at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.\u00a0 The FT-CH is a concept that would address Toyota\u2019s stated strategy to offer a wider variety of conventional hybrid choices to its customers, as it begins to introduce plug-in hybrids (PHVs) and battery electrics (BEVs) in model year 2012, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCHVs) in 2015 in global markets.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithin the next 10 to 20 years, we will not only reach peak oil we will enter a period where demand for all liquid fuels will exceed supply,\u201d said Jim Lentz, TMS president.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA century after the invention of the automobile, we must re-invent it with powertrains that significantly reduce or eliminate the use of conventional petroleum fuels.\u00a0 One of many alternatives is through what is commonly called the electrification of the automobile.\u00a0 By far, the single most successful example of this has been the gas-electric hybrid.\u201d<\/p>\n

The CH stands for compact hybrid as in compact class and it\u2019s a concept that can best be defined by comparing it with the mid-size class Prius.\u00a0 The FT-CH captures the spirit and functionality of a car that thrives in the inner-city environment; sized right to be nimble, responsive and maneuverable.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a package Toyota dealers and customers have been asking for,\u201d added Lentz.<\/p>\n

The FT-CH was styled at Toyota\u2019s European Design and Development (ED\u00b2) center in Nice, France.\u00a0 Compared to Prius, it is 22 inches shorter in overall length, yet loses less than an inch in overall width.\u00a0 In spite of its compact external dimensions, FT-CH was designed for maximum passenger comfort and interior roominess, with an imaginative sense of style.<\/p>\n

ED\u00b2 designers looked to capture the vivid, high-energy appeal of what has come to be called the 8-bit generation.\u00a0 Popularized in the early 80\u2019s, 8-bit microprocessor technology dominated the budding home video game industry.\u00a0 Today, 8-bit is considered a specific retro-style that is embraced by such things as 8-bit genre music and 8-bit inspired art.<\/p>\n

The direct reference to the 8-bit generation is meant to be fun and innovative, colorful and stylish, with strong appeal to young buyers.\u00a0 Lighter in weight and even more fuel efficient than Prius, the concept specifically targets a lower price point than Prius, thus appealing to a younger, less-affluent buyer demographic.<\/p>\n

Pointing to how Prius has become a universal icon for hybrid technology, Lentz confirmed that TMS is developing a Prius family \u201cmarketing strategy\u201d for North America that will take full advantage of the Prius brand equity.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe strategy is still taking shape and obviously it will require additional models to qualify as a family,\u201d said Lentz.\u00a0 \u201cAmong others, the FT-CH is a concept that we are considering.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the early 2010s, Toyota plans to sell a million hybrids per year globally, a majority of those in North America.\u00a0 To accomplish this, Toyota will launch eight all new hybrid models over the next few years.\u00a0 These will not include next generation versions of current hybrids; instead, they will be all new dedicated hybrid vehicles, or all new hybrid versions of existing gas engine models.<\/p>\n

The heart of hybrid technology is its battery.\u00a0 Since the early 90\u2019s, during the early stages of first-generation Prius development, Toyota has been committed to in-house R&D of advanced nickel-metal hydride batteries.\u00a0 Through three generations
\nof Prius and a total of seven full-hybrid models, it has systematically reduced size, weight and cost while improving energy density, quality and reliability.<\/p>\n

Toyota\u2019s joint venture partnership with Panasonic has been a key element of its success in the advancement of hybrid technology.\u00a0 Later this year, Panasonic EV Energy (PEVE) will have three separate, fully operational production facilities with a combined capacity of more than one million units per year.<\/p>\n

Moving the promise of electrification one step further, Toyota recently kicked off its global demonstration program involving approximately 600 Prius plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.\u00a0 Beginning early this year, 150 PHVs will begin to arrive in the U.S. where they will be placed in regional clusters with select partners for market\/consumer analysis and technical demonstration.<\/p>\n

The Prius PHV introduces Toyota’s first generation lithium-ion drive battery.\u00a0 When fully charged, the vehicle is targeted to achieve a maximum electric-only range of about 13 miles and capable of achieving highway speeds of more than 60 mph in electric-only mode. For longer distances, the Prius PHV reverts to \u201chybrid mode\u201d and operates like a regular Prius. This ability to utilize all-electric power for short trips or hybrid power for longer drives alleviates the issue of limited cruising range encountered with pure-electric vehicles.<\/p>\n

All program vehicles will be equipped with data retrieval\/communication devices which will monitor activities such as:\u00a0 how often the vehicle is charged and when, whether the batteries are depleted or being topped-off during charging, trip duration and all-electric driving range, combined mpg and so on.<\/p>\n

As it becomes available, data from the program vehicles will be posted to a dedicated Web site.\u00a0 This in use, readily available data will help consumers understand how the vehicles are being used and how they’re performing.<\/p>\n

Toyota believes this demonstration program is a necessary next step in societal preparation in that it allows Toyota the unique opportunity to inform, educate and prepare customers for the electrification of the automobile in general and the introduction of plug-in hybrid technology.<\/p>\n

Toyota is moving quickly with the development of PHV technology well beyond this demonstration program.\u00a0 Advanced battery R&D programs with nickel-metal, lithium-ion and \u201cbeyond lithium\u201d are underway for a wide variety of applications in conventional hybrids, PHVs, BEVs and FCHVs.<\/p>\n

In the early 1990s, Toyota began R&D on building a practical and affordable hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.\u00a0\u00a0 FCHV technical advancements have moved at a rapid pace.\u00a0 Engineers have made great strides in cost reduction targets in both materials and manufacturing and Toyota is committed to bringing hydrogen fuel cells to global markets in 2015.<\/p>\n

Toyota\u2019s latest model, the Toyota FCHV-advanced began its own national demonstration program late last year.\u00a0 Over the course of the three year program, more than 100 vehicles will be placed in an effort to demonstrate the technology\u2019s performance, reliability and practicality in everyday use.<\/p>\n

Recently field tested in southern California by two national laboratories at the request of the U.S. Department of Energy, the FCHV-advanced confirmed an estimated single-tank fuel range of 431 miles.\u00a0 In combined city and highway driving from Santa Monica to San Diego the FCHV-adv logged an estimated 68 miles per kilogram of hydrogen, the rough equivalent of 68 miles per gallon.\u00a0 That range is equivalent to a Highlander hybrid at more than double the MPG with zero emissions other than water vapor.<\/p>\n

In 1997, Toyota introduced the RAV4 EV battery electric vehicle in California.\u00a0\u00a0 1,484 of these 100 mile range large-battery electric vehicles were either sold or leased over the course of the program.\u00a0 Nearly half are still on the road.<\/p>\n

Shortly thereafter, Toyota started a modest demonstration program with a small- battery electric urban commuter vehicle, called the e-com.\u00a0 This concept addressed the idea of the \u201con-demand\u201d city station car similar to the Zip-car business model that is becoming popular in large urban areas.\u00a0 Although shorter in range, the e-com program addressed a specific mobility niche at a much more affordable price than the RAV4 EV.<\/p>\n

The RAV4 EV and e-com programs were short lived due to lack of commitment from the market; the consumer and the consumer\u2019s environmental mind set were not ready to commit to battery electric vehicles at that time.\u00a0 Recent increased awareness of environmental issues and the benefits of advanced technology vehicles have reinvigorated an interest in the electric vehicle market.\u00a0 As a result, Toyota will bring a small, urban commuter lithium-ion BEV to market in model year 2012.<\/p>\n

Battery technology has progressed significantly in the time since the RAV4 EV and e-com programs.\u00a0 But major challenges still remain.\u00a0 The cost of lithium-ion batteries needs to be reduced significantly, or a more affordable alternative developed.<\/p>\n

Like hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, battery electrics will require the creation of infrastructure for recharging on the go.\u00a0 This issue of range is also a challenge to overcome.\u00a0 Even at 100 miles, BEVs as a primary mode of transportation do not yet offer what most consumers see as true mobility.<\/p>\n

Toyota believes these are hurdles that will be cleared.\u00a0 For the last decade its focus has been to concentrate on a comprehensive advanced technology strategy including BEVs, PHVs, and FCHVs.\u00a0 Common to all three is the move to electrification, the full commitment to advanced battery technology and how lessons learned from conventional hybrid R&D have given Toyota a leg-up on all three.<\/p>\n

– By: Stephen Calogera<\/em><\/p>\n

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The 2010 North American International Auto Show press preview days have been full of announcements and unveilings. One of the more interesting ones however, has been the Toyota FT-CH dedicated hybrid concept. Designed in Europe and engineered with cutting edge electric drive technology, the FT-CH is a concept that addresses Toyota’s mission to develop a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-170616","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170616","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=170616"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170616\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=170616"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=170616"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=170616"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}