From pv magazine Global
A consortium led by Toyota Manufacturing UK, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor, is investigating the feasibility of a lightweight two-seater electric vehicle with integrated solar PV, digital connectivity, and sustainable components.
The feasibility study will focus on a last-mile L6e-type vehicle modelled on Toyota’s FT-Me, micro-mobility concept announced earlier this year. An L6 type is a four-wheeled vehicle or quadricycle with a top speed of 45 km.
The project includes a vehicle-integrated solar (VIPV) roof to be designed, developed, and validated by consortium partner Savcor, a Finnish technology company. The VIPV is meant to extend driving range by 20%, “creating a solution that supports average daily use without charging,” Toyota Manufacturing UK said in a press release.
Another partner, UK-based ELM Mobility, which has its own micromobility vehicle, a larger L7eCU-type with 4 m2 cargo load volume, according to its website, will research the potential to maximize shared components. Such work has the potential to reduce dual development costs while creating economies of scale, according to the company.
Digital connectivity components and the use of recycled lightweight, sustainable materials are also planned.
Led by a Toyota team in Derby, England, the project will be supported by researchers at the University of Derby, who will provide micromobility user behavior and solar energy viability expertise.
The partners in the consortium have secured £15 million ($20 million) in match-funding, according to a separate announcement by the UK Department for Business and Trade, noting the funding is from the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) Collaborative Research and Development program, targeting zero-emission technologies and new mobility concepts.
Another recent instance of solar PV being used with lightweight micro-mobility vehicles is the European Giants consortium, which is developing VIPV-integrated prototypes of L5, L6, and L7 class vehicles provided by several international manufacturers. And last year, the French Croisière Verte team used a modified Citroen Ami to demonstrate the potential of portable solar and compact, lightweight electric vehicles on an African continental journey.
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