Toyota’s most environment-friendly car has appeared in production form at this week’s Geneva motor show.
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The automaker said a strong environmental performance is anticipated for the iQ, with CO2 emissions from 100g/km (the Prius hybrid starts from 104g).
The car is less than three metres long but can carry three adults plus a child or luggage.
Claimed space-saving design breakthroughs include a flat under-floor fuel tank, new differential and asymmetrical dashboard.
Toyota has designed the car to meet the five-star Euro NCAP crash test safety standard. Production starts late this year.
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By GlobalData“The iQ story started a few years ago when we at Toyota began thinking about the environmental impact of automobiles,” said Kazuo Okamato, executive vice president in charge of research and development at Toyota Motor Corporation.
“We concluded that, in order to ensure a sustainable future, there was a need for a radical change in vehicle packaging. We needed to create a breakthrough, away from the traditional belief that small is basic. Our answer is the Toyota iQ.”
The newly developed differential allows the iQ to have a more compact engine compartment and front wheels placed at the very corners of the car, with very short overhangs. This yields more than 100mm extra cabin length, compared to the Yaris.
Designing a flat under-floor fuel tank has allowed shorter rear overhangs to be developed, helping reduce the car’s overall length.
A flat fuel tank has traditionally been considered difficult to engineer, because of the variance in fuel surface levels depending on the angle of the vehicle. Persistent engineering efforts to downsize and find the best position for functional parts have enabled such a tank to be developed, delivering significant space savings.
Engineers have also significantly reduced the size of the heater/air conditioning unit, without sacrificing performance.
As a result, the front passenger area can be moved forwards towards the base of the windscreen, freeing up additional cabin space.
Toyota has given the iQ a centre take-off steering gear, positioned higher in the engine bay. The gear, engine and differential could then be repositioned, giving the car a shorter front overhang.
The slim seatbacks release a further 40mm of rear passenger room at knee height. With an all new frame structure and optimal adjustment of ancillary parts, the designs save space without sacrificing comfort.
The iQ will be offered with a choice of two petrol engines and one diesel.
Production of 100,000 units is expected worldwide in the first full year.
