Toyota planning smarter, cleaner vehicles for Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Toyota is planning to use the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo to showcase the future of transportation.

A range of cleaner and smarter electric vehicles will be unveiled at the event to accommodate an estimated 15 million visitors coming to Japan’s huge capital city.

Toyota is working with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee to make the event what they hope is the most innovative and sustainable in Olympic history.

This includes providing a fleet of 3,000 passenger vehicles, including zero-emission hydrogen electric vehicles, the one-seater i-Road personal mobility scooter, and fuel cell buses.

Guest and athletes will also benefit from transportation around the games with a fleet of e-Palette vehicles. These are fully automated electric vehicles which are specially designed to provide services, such as dropping people off at home, shops, or restaurants.

"The freedom of being mobile is at the heart of being able to participate in society," said Toyota President Akio Toyoda. "If someone wants to take on a challenge and moving is what is preventing them from doing so, Toyota would like to help tackle that problem.

A new concept car will also be piloted at the event which can “recognise drivers’ emotions and preferences”, according to the manufacturer, and converses using artificial intelligence.

“We want mobility to be a possibility, not an obstacle. By being involved with the Olympics, the Paralympics and the Special Olympics Games, I hope that Toyota will come to respect everyone's uniqueness and embrace diversity. Once that is realized, we will finally be able to take a step closer to our goal of "mobility for all" and ensure, like athletes show us every day, that being mobile equals having a chance to make one's dreams come true."

Toyota’s ambitions even extend to providing fuel cell forklift trucks for use behind the scenes.

A concept design for the new e-Palette. The fully automated, electric vehicle will be in use during the games.

Photo Credit: Toyota