The Toyota JPN Taxi concept will channel the iconic London black cab when it debuts at the Tokyo motor show later this month.
Previewing the car maker’s vision for the next generation of Tokyo taxis, the Toyota JPN Taxi concept was conceived in line with the Japanese government’s program for designing new transport systems, including buses and taxis, that are environmentally and user-friendly.
The car’s exterior reveals a number of distinct features, such as side mirrors mounted at the front of the car flowing out of the headlight surrounds. Moving further back, large side windows can be seen, as can door handles whose design mimics those found on the Rolls-Royce Phantom.
Unlike the Phantom, the JPN Taxi’s handles attach to an electric sliding rear door. Other features designed to make passenger access as easy as possible include a high cabin ceiling and low, flat floor. Inside the five-seat cabin, passengers can view trip information on a rear-facing screen set beneath a large panoramic glass roof.
To maximise the JPN Taxi’s environmental credentials, the concept has been fitted with Toyota’s LPG hybrid powertrain. Although LPG comes from a non-renewable fossil fuel source, when combined with an electric motor, it becomes an ultra-low-emission power source.
Interestingly, Toyota itself acknowledges LPG is a short-term solution in the development of low-emission vehicles.
The Toyota JPN Taxi concept will be the first cab off the rank at the Tokyo motor show, which begins November 20.
