Toyota JV Micro BEV Deliver Van Debuts at G7
Toyota has teamed up with two other automakers to debut a micro-sized BEV delivery LCV for its domestic market coinciding the G7 summit in Hiroshima.
The vehicle uses a powertrain that Toyota has jointly developing with mini vehicle specialists Daihatsu and Suzuki, Reuters reports. There will be three individually branded versions of the van badged by the three automakers although all will, essentially, be the same vehicle.
It claims an operating range of about 124 miles and should be released by March 31, 2024. Toyota subsidiary, Daihatsu, will produce the vehicles, the companies said in the statement. The van will be classed as a “kei” vehicle, which are low-powered, low-taxed domestic fare.
Micro kei vehicles are very popular among small businesses and households to deliver agriculture produce, parcels and other goods in Japan, largely because they are cheap to buy. These vehicles accounted for 40% of 78.8M four-wheel vehicles owned in Japan as of the end of February, according to transport ministry data.
— Paul Myles is a seasoned automotive journalist based in Europe. Follow him on Twitter @Paulmyles_
