Toyota mobilty aids scooter power assist

Japanese automotive behemoth Toyota has thrown its hat into the mobility ring, unveiling a range of devices including a mobility scooter and a wheelchair power-assist which the company is preparing to launch to the commercial market.

Revealed at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota’s range of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are described as next-generation mobility solutions “is designed to provide short-distance mobility while limiting impact on the environment.”

Toytoa ultra compact BEV
Toyota’s Ultra-Compact BEV

The flagship product of its new mobility BEV range is the Ultra-Compact, a condensed two-seater electric vehicle specifically designed to meet the daily mobility needs of customers who make regular, short-distance trips, such as the elderly, says the company.

Advertisement | Continue story below

According to Toyota, the vehicle can be driven a range of approximately 100 km on a single charge, reach a maximum speed of 60 km/h, and features an extremely short turning radius.

As the motor industry quickly pivots to electric vehicles and with major car manufacturers ploughing substantial investment into battery R&D, driven by the urgent environmental need to slash carbon emissions, Toyota has turned its expertise not just to small electric cars but traditional mobility aids.

In particular, the Japanese motor manufacturer has unveiled three different mobility aids that it calls “walking area BEVs.”

The first is its ‘Walking Area Standing Type’ which looks similar to a Segway or the Rollerscoot, enabling those who can stand to move around assisted, with Toyota suggesting the device can be particularly useful in large buildings, such as airports and factories.

The second is the “Walking Area BEV Seated Type,” a mobility scooter boasting a futuristic, modern aesthetic that the company says “provides mobility for people who are handling large amounts of luggage, or who may have difficulty walking.”

Toyota's Walking Area BEV Seated Type
Toyota’s Walking Area BEV Seated Type

The third mobility device is the “Walking Area BEV Wheelchair-linked Type,” a wheelchair power assist that connects to manual wheelchairs, providing additional support to active wheelchair users.

Toyota's Walking Area BEV Wheelchair-linked Type
Toyota’s Walking Area BEV Wheelchair-linked Type

All of the mobility aids have a maximum speed of 2 to 6 km/h (variable speed) and can cruise about 20 km (12 miles) on a single charge. According to the specs, the replaceable batteries can also charge in about 2.5 hours.

Toyota has confirmed that the Ultra-Compact and standing type is planned to launch in Japan in 2020, whilst the mobility scooter and power-assist models are due to reach the market in 2021

Check the spec below:

Ultra-compact BEV Walking area BEV standing type Walking area BEV seated type Walking area BEV wheelchair-linked type
Release 2020 winter 2020 winter 2021 2021
Capacity 2 people 1 1 1
Length 2,490 mm 700 mm 1,180 mm 540 mm
Width 1,290 mm 450 mm 630 mm 630 mm
Height 1,550 mm 1,200 mm 1,090 mm 1,090 mm
Max speed 60 km/h 2, 4, 6, 10 km/h (switchable) 2, 4, 6 km/h (switchable) 2, 4, 6 km/h (switchable)
Range on single charge 100 km 14 km 10 km 20 km
Charging time Approx. 5 hours (200V) Approx. 2.5 hours (replaceable battery) Approx. 2 hours (replaceable battery) Approx. 2.5 hours (replaceable battery)
THIIS ROUND-UP
Join the 3,750+ mobility professionals who stay informed with THIIS' twice-weekly industry updates.
We respect your privacy
https://thiis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Toyota-mobilty-aids-scooter-power-assist-featured.jpghttps://thiis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Toyota-mobilty-aids-scooter-power-assist-featured-150x150.jpgCalvin BarnettNewsroomSupplier Newsautomotive,Battery Electric Vehicle,BEV,Japan,mobility scooter,Mobility Solutions,power assist,Tokyo Motor Show 2019,Toyota,Ultra-Compact,Wheelchair power assistJapanese automotive behemoth Toyota has thrown its hat into the mobility ring, unveiling a range of devices including a mobility scooter and a wheelchair power-assist which the company is preparing to launch to the commercial market. Revealed at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota’s range of battery electric vehicles (BEVs)...News, views & products for mobility, access and independent living professionals