Toyota revealed a rather peculiar looking concept at this year's Geneva auto show, called the FT-Bh. It measures 3,985mm in length, which means it's about 25% longer than a Yaris. At the same time it's also lighter than a Yaris, weighing around 786kg. The Toyota FT-Bh is powered by a newly developed full hybrid drive system, which is about 90kg lighter than the Japanese carmaker's Hybrid Synergy Drive system. The new hybrid drive includes a two-cylinder, 1.0-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine, which offers a 134.5mpg fuel economy and a 49g/km CO2 emissions level.
Toyota's main purpose for developing the FT-Bh is to improve the efficiency of its hybrid drive system.
To achieve this, they reduce the weight of the car, improved its aerodynamics, developed a better thermal energy management and increased its electricity savings.
Toyota's FT-Bh is a four-door four-seat vehicle, with a drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.235. It has thin A and C-pillars to maximize the window surface and headlamps integrated into the front wings. For the interior of the FT-Bh, Toyota chose a minimalist design, with a concave center console.
To improve the airflow around the FT-Bh, Toyota equipped with air curtain intakes on the front, air-stream alloy wheels and cameras instead of the conventional side mirrors. To smooth the airflow behind the car, the FT-Bh comes with an underfloor spoiler and a special air outlet slit. The FT-Bh sits on 145/55R18 low rolling resistance tires, which make a significant difference when it comes to consumption.
Other areas of development covered by the FT-Bh concept include the electricity consumption reduction. For this, the LED headlights, interior lighting and other electrical components have been extensively optimized.
The Toyota FT-Bh concept is not currently scheduled for production.
Toyota FT-Bh video:
