A brand new electric car from Toyota has arrived in the United States – in the form of the 2013 Scion iQ EV (pictured).
The battery-electric four-seat city car has been designed specifically for urban car sharing programmes, particularly on university campuses; and Toyota is targeting around 90 units for these applications. According to Chris Hostetter, who is the group vice president of strategic planning for Toyota, the iQ EVs will be featured in fleet and car sharing applications and will expand on Toyota’s portfolio of advanced technology vehicles: which already includes the likes of the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid; the Toyota RAV4 EV; and the Toyota FCHV-ADV.
So what can we expect from the Toyota iQ EV?
It will boast a power consumption rate of 104Wh/km and in ideal stop-and-go driving conditions could provide an estimated range of around 50miles on a full charge. It can be charged completely in around three hours and it will feature a 78inch wheelbase and 13.5ft turning radius to make it easy to manoeuvre in congested areas.
According to Toyota, its development focused on producing a vehicle with a lightweight body and power-saving electrical equipment. It offers a host of energy saving features, including: regenerative braking; heat pump air conditioning with pre-conditioning option; heated front seats; a heated windshield defroster; and an LED-mounted stop light.
In terms of power, its maximum output from the drivetrain will be 47kW; while its maximum torque will be 163Nm. It can accelerate from 0-60mph in 13.4seconds and it has a top speed of 78mph.
In addition, the Toyota iQ EV will boast a host of safety features such as: 11 SRS supplemental restraint system airbags; and a multiple load path body that has been designed to absorb and disperse front collision impacts throughout the body shell.
It is expected that Toyota will reveal the partners on its iQ EV programme in the coming weeks.
Paul is a freelance writer with a background in everything from motoring to finance; and holidays to women's undergarments he just writes about them, honestly! He has now sadly crept into his early 30s and seems to have forgotten everything learned at school Still, he's a green car fanatic and isn't that what counts?
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