Toyota unveils ME.WE concept
The electric-powered ME.WE is a joint venture between Toyota and leading European industrial designer Jean-Marie Massaud, the car's name reflects a simultaneous concern for individual freedom (ME) and responsibility towards society (WE).
Toyota's European design and development HQ, ED2, and Massaud, a noted architect and inventor, have pooled their expertise and used existing technologies to produce what they say is a realistic concept car.
The goal with the five-seater was "intelligent reduction" - better accommodating the automotive needs of people by eliminating excess in a package that reconciles driving pleasure with environmental responsibility.
The ME.WE uses a tubular aluminium structure, with body panels made from expanded polypropylene, and bamboo for the floor and dashboard. The common factor linking all these materials is that are lightweight, robust and recyclable.
Inside, passengers take priority over luggage, which can be carried on the roof, protected by a neoprene cover. The rear luggage space can be extended, transforming it into a platform like that of a ute; the car can also provide the "wind-in-the-hair" experience of a cabriolet by opening all the windows, including the windscreen.
Instruments are limited to a single screen above the steering wheel that indicates vehicle speed, battery charge, trip information and navigation instructions delivered by a smart phone. The smart phone itself is mounted below the screen and allows occupants to create their own personal environment, as well as controlling the cabin air temperature. Minimalist bench seats, constructed from expanded polypropylene, can be removed and used for a picnic, in the vein of the Citroen 2CV and Renault R4.
Simple design is matched by ease of use: it has an electric motor in each wheel like the recently unveiled Toyota i-ROAD and its batteries are located under the floor, like the Toyota iQ. Of course, the engine-in-each-wheel design means the ME.WE can operate in two or four-wheel drive. While it may not have the grunt of a traditional off-roader, Toyota say the light weight of the ME.WE would offset the disadvantages.
The Yaris-sized ME.WE could weigh as little as 750kg - a minimum weight saving of 20 per cent compared with a conventional car in its class. The body panels weigh just 14kg - a saving of around 180kg compared with the use of steel. Expanded polypropylene is strong and has better thermal insulation properties, resulting in less use of the car's electric heater and air-conditioning system.
Toyota says the project has enabled it to gain insights into the future of the automobile from the perspective of a non-automotive design studio.
The cross-pollination of ideas and fresh perspectives between the Japanese car company and the French designer, which began in 2011, are an important part of the creative process seeking new solutions for better vehicles. Massaud, a multiple design award winner, said today's cars have become an accumulation of constraints more than a source of freedom.
"Our lives and needs require more adaptability, simplicity and lightness," Massaud said. "The car of today should be seen as a personal mobility solution that can deliver more."
The unveiling of the ME.WE concept in Paris is part of an exhibition showing other aspects of design including models, drawing tables and selected materials.
Toyota says there are no plans for the ME.WE to enter volume production.
