Toyota is launching an electric off-roader by 2030 at the latest. The Japanese are giving a first preview of the model with the Compact Cruiser EV. The study was shown at the end of 2021 as part of Toyota’s electric car presentation without further details.
Now Toyota announced that the model won the 2022 Car Design Award for concept cars and provided us with more photos of the small SUV – without further details. However, we already know a little more.
Exterior Design
The off-roader positions itself as a high-legged SUV with underbody protection, a massive apron, and narrow LED headlights flanked by vertical turn signal bands. The hood appears flat with a wide cooling vent. On the side, the contrasting colors and wide plastic fenders stand out, offering protection to mighty off-road tires. The four-door model features almost square exterior mirrors perched on the door sill. The lower window line executes a jagged line to the rear and flows into a steep rear end.
The windshield stands upright, and the roof with the luggage rack runs almost horizontally and ends in a steep tailgate with a small window.
Besides the red stripe behind the rear doors, the Toyota Compact Cruiser quotes the FJ Cruiser, which was launched in the U.S. in 2006, not only in its blue color scheme.
The model cited the styling of the FJ40 and was based on the Toyota Land Cruiser.
In 2014, the SUV was discontinued in the U.S. and subsequently built only in Japan for export to Chile, South Africa, and the Philippines, among other countries. The model was powered by a 4.0-liter V6 in several output levels.
The presentation video gives us a glimpse of the study. It shows a steering wheel flattened at the top and bottom with a large baffle, including the Toyota logo.
Two narrow struts protrude into the lower area, while the control buttons and deeply recessed grips can be seen in the spokes on the right and left. Eye-catching is the high-mounted digital cockpit, and a larger infotainment screen is enthroned above the wide center console.
Engine Specs
And what’s underneath the Compact Cruiser?
Here, the off-roader will likely take the E-TNGA electric car platform from the Toyota shelf. Surely the model in series production has two electric motors, each acting on one axle and producing the electric all-wheel drive.
The power spectrum of the platform ranges from 80 and 150 kW, and the range for larger models should be between 500 and 600 km. Presumably, the production version of the Compact Cruiser could come onto the market from the middle of the decade. Then the platform could also be equipped with solid-state batteries instead of lithium-ion batteries.
Toyota is showing the Compact Cruiser EV, an electric off-roader with a retro design that cites the FJ Cruiser. The robust model mixes fun cars and workhorses and will be launched with all-wheel drive.