Toyota to showcase FT-3e, FT-Se concept at Japan Mobility Show

Toyota will showcase the new FT-3e concept at the upcoming Japan Mobility Show 2023 (or Tokyo Motor Show) next week. This new SUV will be the brand’s second born-EV SUV when it goes into production in the near future. According to Toyota, the FT-3e will pave the way for a radical electric 4x4 touted to introduce a new era for the brand.

Arriving alongside the FT-Se sportscar, the FT-3e concept will be fully unveiled in Tokyo on October 26 and preview a sharply styled five-seat SUV with a design language unique to the brand's EVs. Toyota says its eye-catching design has been created with the help of AI and is said to be "as simple as possible", with clean, aero-optimised lines and a prominent belt line in the same vein as the Land Rover Defender. It will also feature a bumper-width rear light bar, squared-off panelling, and a new design of alloy wheels in the same colour as the bodywork.

Elsewhere outside, digital displays run from the foot of the wheel arch upwards toward the door mirror. These provide the driver with information when they walk up to the car, such as the battery charge state, cabin temperature and air quality. It also gets its own light pattern along the door sills, which is expected to be unique to Toyota's electric SUVs.

The car's battery technology will help Toyota optimise its aerodynamics. The firm said reducing the height of the battery is a key factor for improved efficiency, because this in turn allows for a lower, more aerodynamic design that reduces drag. In today’s bZ4X, the battery is around 150mm tall, but this will be reduced to 120mm for this model.

According to the company, the vehicle has been designed as a "lifestyle partner" to make the driver's life as "stress-free" as possible, allowing them to adapt the ride quality to their preference and find out information about their local area via the infotainment screen to make it a "one-of-a-kind cherished vehicle". Over-the-air updates to the infotainment system are expected to feature.

It will also adopt emissions-reducing production techniques and on-board technology in line with Toyota's plan to cut 35 percent of its carbon emissions by 2030.

Expect more details on this new SUV concept to be revealed in the coming days.