Any company presenting 16 concept cars all at once might not have enough time to talk about each of them in detail, but Toyota exaggerated. One of its most interesting electric concepts was the Compact Cruiser EV. Despite that, the company ignored it big time. If it were not for the pictures, we would not even know it exists.
We should mention that Toyota’s Design Senior General Manager was the only executive to talk about it, even though he did not even speak its name. Simon Humphries said that the Compact Cruiser EV was a product of “building on Toyota’s off-road heritage to create new and exciting recreational experiences.” And that was pretty much it.
When Humphries talks about Toyota’s off-road heritage, it may remind us of the Land Cruiser. However, the Compact Cruiser brings another vehicle to mind immediately: the FJ Cruiser. Ironically, this off-roader did not sell that well and became a cult car when it was about to bite the dust – not in an off-road track, mind you. Some years ago, it was one of the few cars worth more as used vehicles than they did when they were brand new.
What the images and the concept car name tell us is that the Compact Cruiser EV is a downsized and electric version of the FJ Cruiser. With a more manageable size, particularly in Asia and Europe, it may reach sales numbers that are much superior to those presented by the car that inspired it.
The Compact Cruiser may also eye what Rivian has achieved with the R1T to focus on a capable and affordable electric vehicle with loads of torque. If the production version of the Compact Cruiser EV is sold at reasonable prices, we can imagine it as being a ubiquitous sight in trails all around the world.
Sadly, the lack of attention Toyota dedicated to it may mean it was just a design exercise and nothing else. We must say that this would be a massive mistake: the Compact Cruiser EV has the design touches that would make it a very successful car. It should only be forgotten or barely mentioned if Toyota cannot pull its production off. We’ll make sure to remember it whenever possible.
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