FT-CH
Concept car presented ta NAIAS 2010
Concept car presented ta NAIAS 2010
Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A, Inc., unveiled the Toyota FT-CH Concept dedicated hybrid at the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The Toyota FT-CH is a concept that would address Toyota's stated strategy to offer a wider variety of conventional hybrid choices to its customers, as it begins to introduce plug-in hybrids (PHVs) and battery electrics (BEVs) in model year 2012, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCHVs) in 2015 in global markets.
"Within the next 10 to 20 years, we will not only reach peak oil we will enter a period where demand for all liquid fuels will exceed supply," said Jim Lentz, TMS president. "A century after the invention of the automobile, we must re-invent it with powertrains that significantly reduce or eliminate the use of conventional petroleum fuels. One of many alternatives is through what is commonly called the electrification of the automobile. By far, the single most successful example of this has been the gas-electric hybrid."
The CH stands for compact hybrid as in compact class and it's a concept that can best be defined by comparing it with the mid-size class Prius. The Toyota FT-CH Concept captures the spirit and functionality of a car that thrives in the inner-city environment; sized right to be nimble, responsive and maneuverable.
"It's a package Toyota dealers and customers have been asking for," added Lentz.
The Toyota FT-CH Concept was styled at Toyota's European by Ken Billes exterior designer and Development (ED²) center in Nice, France. Compared to Toyota Prius, it is 22 inches shorter in overall length, yet loses less than an inch in overall width. In spite of its compact external dimensions, Toyota FT-CH Concept was designed for maximum passenger comfort and interior roominess, with an imaginative sense of style.
"Within the next 10 to 20 years, we will not only reach peak oil we will enter a period where demand for all liquid fuels will exceed supply," said Jim Lentz, TMS president. "A century after the invention of the automobile, we must re-invent it with powertrains that significantly reduce or eliminate the use of conventional petroleum fuels. One of many alternatives is through what is commonly called the electrification of the automobile. By far, the single most successful example of this has been the gas-electric hybrid."
The CH stands for compact hybrid as in compact class and it's a concept that can best be defined by comparing it with the mid-size class Prius. The Toyota FT-CH Concept captures the spirit and functionality of a car that thrives in the inner-city environment; sized right to be nimble, responsive and maneuverable.
"It's a package Toyota dealers and customers have been asking for," added Lentz.
The Toyota FT-CH Concept was styled at Toyota's European by Ken Billes exterior designer and Development (ED²) center in Nice, France. Compared to Toyota Prius, it is 22 inches shorter in overall length, yet loses less than an inch in overall width. In spite of its compact external dimensions, Toyota FT-CH Concept was designed for maximum passenger comfort and interior roominess, with an imaginative sense of style.
