Toyota has been a very active player in the hydrogen fuel game, previously opening up more than 5,000 fuel cell patents and putting the technology to the test in its Mirai sedan and Project Portal trucks. A potential future addition to this emission-free stable is being unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show next week in the form of the Fine-Comfort Ride six-seater minivan concept.
Toyota bills the Fine-Comfort Ride as a "premium saloon," and a with a peek at the interior you can see what it's getting at. There is bench seating up back, but four plush arm-chaired seats swivel independently to convert the cabin into a meeting space, with the surrounding windows doubling as touch displays.
In-hub motors sit in each wheel, while a diamond-shaped cabin with a wider mid-section is designed to deliver both more space inside and better aerodynamics. Powered by a hydrogen fuel cell stack, Toyota says the concept is capable of a 1,000 km (600+ mi) range and can be refueled in around three minutes.
Toyota is no stranger to forward-thinking, make that very forward-thinking, concepts so we won't be expecting the Fine-Comfort Ride to go into production. But ideas around how traditional cabin space can be used for entertainment, business or other purposes is something we are seeing explored more and more as autonomous technologies edge closer to reality.
The Tokyo Motor Show kicks off on October 25 and there are sure to be more wildly futuristic concepts on show. New Atlas will be bringing you the best of them.
Source: Toyota
