Pretty much every single car manufacturer out there is now going big on carbon neutrality. They may have different approaches to achieve it, but the end results are all the same—cutting carbon emissions across the board.
Toyota, for one, hasn’t been churning out battery electric vehicles as quickly as other brands have. While it has already confirmed plans to electrify its lineup in the near future, it was previously focusing more on its hydrogen fuel-cell and hybrid technologies.
Now, it seems the Japanese automotive giant has yet another new strategy to going green: the carbon neutralization of vehicles currently in use by customers. Case in point, the two AE86 concepts you see above.
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One of the two AE86s here features two high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks—derived from the Toyota Mirai fuel-cell EV—mounted at the rear. This particular hachi-roku “can be driven while enjoying the internal combustion engine’s appeal points of sound and vibration.”
The second AE86 concept is a battery electric vehicle that utilizes electrification tech from Lexus. As much as possible, the original car’s body, lightweight build, and front-rear weight balance were retained, all while developing a vehicle “that offers even greater driving pleasure than the original.” It also gets a handful of Toyota’s new technologies including a Tundra HEV electric motor and a Prius PHEV battery.
Inside, both of these concept vehicles are equipped with rejuvenated used seats as well as seatbelts and seatbelt pads made from recycled materials.
“In parallel, expecting that it will take time before all new vehicles are carbon neutral, simultaneously promoting the carbon neutralization of not only new vehicles but also of vehicles currently in customer use is essential for the future,” Toyota’s statement reads.
Hmm. Electrifying old models en route to carbon neutrality. Do you think Toyota is onto something here?
More photos of the Toyota AE86 concepts from the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon:
