Toyota 1/X Concept Unveiled…It's a Lighter Prius

1x.jpg
Toyota’s 1/X Concept car is actually pronounced “one-Xth” since it weighs 1/Xth the weight of other similar sized models.

Toyota used its own Prius as a comparison, since the 1/X only weighs about a third of what the Prius hybrid weighs or about 926 pounds. The car manages to stay light by the extensive use of carbon fiber reinforced plastic in the vehicle’s frame. The new material saves weight, but also doesn’t compromise safety.

The powertrain of the 1/X uses a flex fuel 500cc engine and plug-in hybrid drive system. The system is located underneath the rear seat and drives the rear wheels. According to Toyota, the 1/X gets double to gas mileage of the Prius in a similarly sized package. The 1/X can carry up to four passengers.

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PRESS RELEASE:

1/X

The 1/X (pronounced “one-Xth”) is a concept vehicle that redefines from its very roots the idea of what it means to be environmentally considerate. Among its attributes, the vehicle-with a design that aims to harmoniously coexist with people and society-weighs only “1/Xth” that of other vehicles in its class.

* Maintains an interior space on par with that of the Prius, with an aimed-for fuel efficiency that is double and a weight reduced to 420 kilograms (about one third the weight of the Prius).
* Combines fossil fuel consumption-reducing FFV* technology and a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a displacement of only 500cc that allows charging from an external power source and a longer electric-motor cruising distance; thus, in addition to being adapted for energy diversity, emits less CO2 and contributes to the prevention of air pollution.
* Locates the power unit beneath the rear seat (for a midship, rear-wheel-drive system) to contribute to an innovative and highly efficient package.
* Adopts light but highly rigid carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) throughout the body frame to ensure superior collision safety, while allowing narrower pillars for a better field of vision.