Nice, France - At the end of 2021 Toyota pulled the covers off 15 concept cars that preview its electric future, but the carmaker didn’t divulge much in the way of detail on these EV show pieces.
One of the more interesting concept cars was the Compact Cruiser EV, and we now get to take a closer look at it following the release of additional pictures.
The vehicle, which has just won the prestigious 2022 Car Design Award, takes a rugged design flavour that you’d usually associate with the Land Cruiser models and fuses it with the underpinnings of a modern compact electric SUV.
It is rumoured that the concept previews a battery-powered production model that will be called the Lite Cruiser and although details on the show car are still thin on the ground Toyota has hinted that it will be quite capable off the beaten track.
“Building on Toyota’s strong off-road heritage, the Compact Cruiser EV is designed to enhance the lifestyles of its target customers - young, professional urban dwellers who enjoy active outdoor leisure interests - with a uniquely engaging, go-anywhere, all-wheel drive EV experience,” Toyota said.
Just how far you’d be able to venture into the great wilderness remains to be seen, however, given the fact that you’ll have to charge it at some point.
The Toyota Compact Cruiser EV was created by the Toyota ED2 design centre in Nice, France.
Toyota Design Senior General Manager Simon Humphries said: “After an initial phase of contact with electric vehicles, people will want zero-emission cars that speak about them and express their lifestyle. And the Compact Cruiser EV is a perfect example of that trend.”