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Toyota introduces a fully electric people mover that will be capable of being used hands-free in Japan in the near future
Toyota has launched an electric shuttle called ‘e-Palette’ in Japan, priced at 29 million yen (approximately 1.74 crore rupees). The company plans to introduce Level 4 automated driving in the zero-emission people mover in the near future.
At launch, Toyota is offering only Level 2 automated driving in the e-Shuttle. However, the company is developing a more advanced system that offers Level 4 autonomy. The Japanese automaker will demonstrate hands-free driving in the electric shuttle under partnerships with dealerships, municipalities, and automated driving partners in this regard, with a target of bringing L4 capability to the market between April 2026 and March 2027.
The e-Palette is a purpose-built vehicle or a PBV designed primarily for emission-free transportation of people, but it can serve other purposes, such as a mobile store or service space. In the default configuration, it accommodates 17 people, including the driver, four passengers seated, and twelve passengers standing.
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At 4,950 mm long, 2,080 mm wide, and 2,650 mm tall, the e-Palette is a large EV, and it squeezes out maximum possible space from those dimensions, as evident in its boxy design. For the record, 2,865 mm of the length, 1,780 mm of the width, and 2,135 mm of the height are utilised for cabin space. A low floor height of 370 mm, which can be reduced further to 270 mm, and large door openings measuring 1,900 mm high and 1,280 mm wide make ingress and egress pretty easy, even for people with mobility issues.
Toyota uses an AC synchronous motor producing 150 kW (201 hp) and 266 Nm of torque and a 72.82 kWh battery pack in the e-Palette. The company has not revealed the chemistry of cells it uses in the battery pack, but it says fast-charging to 80% through a 90 kW DC charger—also from an undisclosed percentage level—takes approximately 40 minutes. The electric shuttle travels up to approximately 250 km on a full charge, as per Japan’s WLTC method, and achieves a top speed of 80 km/h.
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The e-Palette is eligible for a subsidy of 15.835 million yen (approximately 95 lakh rupees) from Japan’s Ministry of the Environment’s Commercial Vehicle Electrification Promotion Project. This effectively brings down the cost of the electric shuttle to 13.165 million yen (approximately 79 lakh rupees).
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