Toyota 1/X

Cars started off being fairly light as they were simple designs and engines too were small and not very heavy. Over 100 years, the car has grown in size, becoming heavier and as the weight increased, the engine had to be more powerful which in turn meant making it bigger and bigger… and heavier. Until the 1970s, the weight of the car and its increasing demands on fuel to power the engine were not given serious thought. However, when the first oil crisis hit and also during the same period, consciousness of environmental pollution from cars rose, it was apparent that the way a car was designed had to change: weights had to go down and engines had to be less thirsty.

This led to the use of new materials which weighed less than the conventional ones such as steel and the development of fuel-efficient engines, as well as the beginning of research into alternative powerplants and fuels. The results can be seen in today’s cars which are comparatively light when their overall size is considered and consume less fuel for the amount of power produced (compared to engines of two decades ago).

Pushing the envelope further, Toyota has come up with a concept car that redefines, from its very roots, the idea of what an ‘environmentally-considerate car’ should be like. As always, Toyota has been committed to offering transportation that ‘can harmoniously co-exist with people and society’ and in the 1/X (pronounced “one-Xth), it demonstrates how that can be possible.

1/X gets its ‘name’ from being ‘1/Xth’ the weight of other vehicles in the same class. If compared against the Prius hybrid car which weighs around 1,200 kgs, the 1/X weighs just 420 kgs. Yet it offers cabin space on par with the Prius within a body length of 3900 mm. The amazingly low weight, even less than that of a minicar, is possible due to the use of CFRP, a strong but light plastic composite material. It possesses good collision-resistance capabilities to protect the occupants while also giving designers more freedom in exploring new design ideas such as narrower roof pillars for better all-round visibility.

The roof is made of kenaf and ramie fibres bonded with lactic-acid polymer bioplastic. Visible plant fibres give a natural ambience and some areas of the roof allow soft light to filter through. While giving a feeling of spaciousness, the roof construction also has excellent thermal insulation.

The seats use a 3-dimensional web of netting for their surface, dispensing with the traditional heavy construction that today’s cars have. Not only does this save weight but enhances comfort due to the good ventilation.

Because it is so light, the engine to move it does not need to develop a lot of power. As such, the engineers have proposed a hybrid powertrain with a 500 cc engine that can run on flex-fuel, ie fuels which are a mix of petrol and ethanol. The electric motor of the powertrain can be easily charged from an external source (perhaps the home electrical outlet) so it is convenient to use and the electric motor is also said to have a long cruising range. Needless to say, the small engine emits less carbon dioxide and will have a far lower impact on the environment.

An unusual idea which is explored in the 1X is something called ‘Open Ears’. This has specially designed ‘ears’ on the body to pick up sounds around the car and convey them to the driver so he or she can have a better grasp of conditions all round. Of course, one wonders why it would be needed since the small engine would probably be quiet, especially when running on the electric motor.

The 1/X is merely a concept car through which Toyota shows some of its ideas and some of them could  appear in future Toyota models if they prove commercial viable and also meet safety standards. So pay attention to the 1/X today!