Back in December 2021, Toyota surprised the world by introducing no less than 16 all-electric concepts that are scheduled to enter production under the Toyota and Lexus brands. And the carmaker recently revisited one of the most striking of the lot, the Toyota EV Cruiser, releasing a fresh batch of images (check out the gallery below). As we wait for the small battery-electric off-roader to reach the real world, a digital artist has come up with an even tinier incarnation of the machine, which we’ve decided to baptize EV Cruiser Mini.
As mentioned, the Japanese company is dead serious about bringing the said show cars to life. In fact, the 2023 Toyota bZ4X is already on sale, while later this year we’ll also welcome the Lexus RZ 450e into showrooms. Meanwhile, the world has taken notice of the eye-catching EV Cruiser, which has snatched the covered 2022 Car Design Award (Concept Cars category) from the Italian Auto&Design Magazine.
The Compact Cruiser EV, which comes from Toyota Europe Design’s ED2 development center in France, sports a rugged exterior design reminding us of the original Land Cruiser. The vehicle is aimed at the ever-more-popular lifestyle zero-emission segment. And while its heritage and appearance are powerful hints towards the production model offering respectable off-roading abilities (there’s zero official info on the specs), this vehicle is also suitable for urban driving.
A two-door EV Cruiser for those tight city drives
Speaking of city dwelling, this rendered Toyota EV Cruiser accentuates the urban side of the official show car. For starters, the 2D work makes the latter look less compact than it is and it’s not just thanks to coming in two-door form. That’s because, as some of you might’ve guessed, the rendering is based on everybody’s favorite tiny offroader, the Suzuki Jimny.
Now, the digital artist known as Theo Throttle (aka theottle), who sits behind the effort, envisions this as a vehicle limited to certain parts of the world, such as South Africa. That’s because certain Toyota models offered on such markets are rebadged Suzukis. The idea would see the model skipping the battery hardware and reviving the Blizzard nameplate.
Truth be told, Suzuki could have an interest in such a plan too. For one, its Jimny has had a hard time in Europe. Back in 2022, the vehicle was pulled from the market due to not meeting the Old Continent’s strict emission rules. However, while Suzuki kept its naturally aspirated 100 hp 1.5L four-cylinder intact, it did bring the Jimny back by homologating it as a commercial vehicle. The back seats were removed, with this boosting the cargo space (just over 30 cubic feet).
Regardless of which real-world potential approach you choose to follow, one thing is clear: the actual Toyota EV Cruiser is a highly anticipated model that should help Toyota establish a reputation as a strong battery-electric vehicle producer, since the carmaker is currently lagging behind its competitors in this area.
