Small utility vans aren’t exactly what one would call sexy or head-turning, but it does have a certain appeal. A prime example of that is the Toyota Lite Ace. Sure, it’s purpose in life is to carry light loads or, from time to time, people, but other folks see potential in it. Heck, we wouldn’t mind one as a daily.
The thing is, the Lite Ace isn’t exactly an all-new car. Also known as the Town Ace or Daihatsu Gran Max in other parts of the world, the current generation has been around since 2008. Granted, vans like these don’t get redesigned often, but some a probably curious what the next generation might be like.
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Well, the answer might be in the form of the Daihatsu Uniform concept. Presented during the Japan Mobility Show 2023, it’s small, boxy, and aimed at small business who need compact haulers. Just like the Lite Ace, then.
Okay, it’s a tad bit smaller than the Lite Ace by around 700mm, but the Uniform shares the same purpose as that. Daihatsu calls it a lean design that ‘that respond(s) to diverse work styles’. In other words, it’s all about function over form.
Its boxy shape isn’t for aesthetics. It’s all about maximizing space in a compact vehicle in this case. Aside from that, the Uniform concept is an EV so it gets a flat floor with nothing getting in the way of its flat floor. Daihatsu adds that the cabin is highly configurable thanks to removable panels that can be rearranged for various purposes.
The Uniform concept comes in two body styles, namely as a van or truck. Either way, its compact size helps it navigate along tight and narrow streets, something that’s common in Japan. No doubt that the battery and electric motor packaging helped Daihatsu shave off a few inches off the body to make it more maneuverable.
So far, Daihatsu hasn’t mentioned plans of putting the Uniform into production. However, it’s likely that the engineering and packaging ideas will make its way into future models…like the future Lite Ace.
