£15m government investment will be used to investigate the feasibility of an L6e quadricycle
Toyota is looking to make its FT-Me Concept a production reality, thanks to a £15 million investment from the UK government – and it could be built in Burnaston.
A rival for the Citroën Ami and Micro Microlino, it will be built according to the same L6e quadricycle regulations followed by those models, limiting it to 8bhp and a top speed of 28mph.
The FT-Me Concept, shown in March, was described by Toyota mobility projects chief Stijn Peeters as “a big piece in the wider mobility jigsaw”, aimed at motorists in cities.
Toyota will now collaborate with last-mile delivery van manufacturer Elm, materials firm Savcor and the University of Derby to investigate whether the FT-Me is a viable production car.
It will use components from Elm’s Evolv delivery van (pictured below) while Savcor will provide the car’s solar-panelled roof – previously claimed by Toyota to be capable of recovering up to 19 miles of range per day.
The intention is to design and build the FT-Me at the Toyota Corolla plant in Burnaston, Derbyshire, and the University of Derby will conduct research into how it is used by prospective buyers.
“The funding allows us to advance our understanding around the feasibility of creating a cutting-edge battery-electric vehicle that addresses the growing demand for sustainable urban mobility,” said Dariusz Mikolajczak, managing director of Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK.
The government funding comes from the Drive35 programme, a £2.5 billion war chest for helping the UK’s automotive industry with the transition to building zero-emission vehicles.
One condition of the Drive35 funding is that it is matched by at least 50% by the company or consortium receiving the investment; in this case, Toyota has likely shouldered the majority of the financial burden. The Advanced Propulsion Centre, which manages grant funding, said the total investment in Toyota’s quadricycle project amounts to £30.3 million.
Source: Autocar
