City cars are under scrutiny. They are seen more and more as a force for disruption, and local authorities are being increasingly obliged to take restrictive measures to ease traffic congestion. While urban mobility issues have been in the spotlight for years, recent studies have focused on exploring innovative alternatives with the aim of reducing stress and improving city dwellers\u2019 quality of life. Lately, cute, compact microcars have become a common sight, zipping around our streets and dodging in and out of traffic to reach destinations effortlessly and find parking spots with ease.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Mobility for all<\/strong><\/span> Agility and freshness<\/strong><\/span> Inspiration from the jet helmet<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe Toyota group is one of the leaders in this trend: \u201cThe Olympics of 2021 in Tokyo and 2024 in Paris triggered a surge of creativity: for these events, we developed a number of mobility solutions tailored for the short-distance needs of Olympic and Paralympic athletes\u201d, explains Tadao Mori, Design Director at Toyota Motor Europe. We are talking about inclusive and accessible vehicles, which we refer to with a very simple but powerful slogan that reflects our company’s mission: \u201cMobility for All\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\nHence the idea of creating a city-friendly microcar called FT-Me (short for Future Toyota-Micro Electric). \u201cWe kicked off the project in the summer of 2023 and, in record time, developed the concept car that was unveiled at this year’s Kenshiki Forum\u201d, says Elvio D’Aprile, senior styling manager and project\u00a0 leader. It was designed to be the ultimate expression of agility and freshness: we assembled a team of talented young designers and moved at lightning speed, with streamlined decision-making\u00a0 processes and creativity at the helm.”<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\nCreativity was just as crucial as engineering pragmatism, because designing a sub-2.5-metre car in record time, one that comfortably seats two passengers and adheres to the tenets of sustainability, demands seamless collaboration between the styling and technical departments. \u201cThe design had to communicate the FT-Me’s intentions instantly, so we took inspiration from the shape of an agile, safe and familiar object: the jet helmet of a scooter\u201d, continues D’Aprile.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>