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Toyota Offers the NORI Concept

Toyota NORI conceptToyota NORI conceptToyota NORI conceptToyota NORI conceptToyota NORI conceptToyota NORI concept
We are continuing to show you the interesting creations that were born for the 2010 LA Design Challenge, a competition that includes eco, stylish, sub-1,000 pounds (454 kg) cars.

It's time to see what Toyota, a company that knows a thing or two about building environmental-friendly vehicles, has prepared for us. The concept you see here uses the NORI (Japanese word for "seaweed") name and offers an innovative build concept, combining the body and the chassis into one single structure dubbed PODULAR.

To create the vehicle, engineers used seaweed-based bioplastics, combined with a carbon fiber weave that offers strength. This also includes solar cells that generate additional energy for the car.

The PODULAR forms are grown at facilities located in the proximity of the sea, with the solar cells being integrated as part of the manufacturing process.

The NORI offers a high level of personalization, as it comes with PSIs (partial shape inserts) that can shield or expose the passengers. The concept's color can be changed using an electronically generated charge.

As for the tech side, Toyota didn't offer too many details, only saying that the vehicle is powered by four electric motors and features a removable battery pack.

"At the onset of the DESIGN process for each PODULAR form is a collaboration between designers and engineers, utilizing a “real time” design envelope to ensure the perfect balance of strength, light weight and design aesthetics. This process eliminates traditional design and engineering conflicts of form vs. function, and allows the design/engineering process to come to fruition at the same time," stated the press release.
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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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