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Toyota's Prius has a pretty enthusiastic fan base. It has become almost synonymous with the world hybrid. But now, Toyota is looking to create something new that will entice the hybrid fans out there. Enter the Toyota 1/X, the car that - according to the press release "redefines from its very roots the idea of what it means to be environmentally considerate". Strong words, indeed.
The key here is weight. Toyota is using a reinforced plastic for the body frame that's reportedly stronger (and of course, much lighter) than metals traditionally used in cars. Lighter seats and a roof made from bio-plastics also help get the car down to an impressive 926 lbs (420 kg). As a result, the fuel efficiency is twice that of the Prius. The car also saves weight by never carrying more than 4 gallons of fuel...which is fine, since those four gallons will take you over 600 miles.
Another big focus on this car is comfort and openness. The whole thing seems to be made of windows. Apparently, the roof insulates heat effectively, is translucent, reduces noise and gives the driver back rubs on long drives... well, maybe not the last part.
All in all, this seems like the perfect hybrid. Of course, concept vehicles often seem perfect. We'll have to see when/ if it actually gets to market.
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written by rollie, April 10, 2008
Design and crumple zones are more important than body panels
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written by mcpuddin, April 10, 2008
Nevertheless I just purchased a prius the other day =P
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written by Magnus H., April 10, 2008
Personally, I find the whole situation regarding SUVs sickening. They buy SUVs so they are "safe" in case of an accident, which means that the roads look more and more threatening with all the monster-sized cars out there, so more people buy SUVs themselves, and then you have the situation continuing. If you ask me, SUVs should be banned from personal ownership, but I'm a pedestrian, so my opinion doesn't count for much. ^_^
If security tests prove it to withstand as much force as other, regular-sized cars, I would imagine this car to be MORE safe than most cars, in fact, since you'd have greatly increased visibility and probably a shorter break delay due to the weight of it.
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written by Luhksy, April 10, 2008
I am curious about how long Prius expects their 1/x models to last on the road.
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written by EV, April 11, 2008
small cars can be just as safe as larger cars- look at race cars- they want them light as can be, yet theyre incredibly safe (especially considering the speeds theyre going!)
They also use a seven point harness and helmets and still get seriously injured and killed. You don't have a point here.
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written by CraigV, April 11, 2008
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written by Cryoburner, April 12, 2008
I'm curious to see the side impact and rollover tests.
Quadruple roll combo bonus! New high score! : P
The car looks fairly nice, though I would question how much safety it has to offer. I imagine the plastic body should be much more resistant to minor dents and rust than metal, but its body panels could cost more to replace in the event of incurring larger damage.
SUVs can actually be very useful in areas that have harsh winters, as 4WD can make travel along unplowed roads and back onto roads much easier and safer. A car like the Toyota 1/X would probably not be very good for use in such conditions.
If I were looking for an ultralight hybrid, I'd probably go with the VentureOne. Not only does it look awesome, but it's supposed to be extremely fun to drive. Watch the videos there to see the Carver design in action. The hybrid VentureOne will get around 100mpg, and there will also be an all electric version available. They should cost around $20,000 USD for the hybrid, and just a few thousand more for the all-electric version when they become available in 2009.
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written by kalisoul, April 29, 2008
1) You are more likely to be injured in an SUV rollover/crash than you are likely to be "smashed" by an SUV.
Its a common misconception that size=value and larger=safer.
just do some research and you will find that across the board SUVs are NOT safer than smaller cars in real world driving conditions.
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written by Rich, July 28, 2009
Also liked the coment about a lightweight car and high winds. Ever drive over the Throgs Neck or Whitestone Bridges on a gale-force day? Even blows my long-trip cruiser around-- a Buick Park Avenue W.
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Also, we won't be able to recycle this car by melting it down will we :-(