Having succeeded with the large truck market, Toyota is now setting its sights on compact pickup trucks with its latest A-BAT concept vehicle. Officially making its debut at the 2008 NAIAS in Detroit, the A-BAT is designed to combine good fuel economy, advanced functionality, car-like handling, and unique styling in one small package.

The A-BAT is built on a unibody car platform and is packaged with Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive. Translucent solar panels in the top surface of the instrument panel capture sunlight and convert it into energy, which Toyota claims is designed to showcase the A-BAT’s ‘green’ character, but sounds more like a useless gimmick to us.

In terms of practicality, the A-BAT gets a four-foot bed that can lengthen to six-feet when the tailgate is opened. There’s also lighting for illuminating the load in the bed, a first aid kit and flashlight integrated into the tailgate, sliding tie downs, and an AC power outlet.

Inside, the A-BAT gets a retractable portable navigation unit with a 7in diagonal screen and Wi-Fi internet. Other advanced features include a port for MP3 players and a hard drive for digital music.

PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS

DRIVETRAIN

Four cylinder gas engine with Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive¨

DIMENSIONS (inches)

Overall Length: 181.3

Overall Width: 74.4

Overall Height: 64.0

Wheelbase: 112.2

Bed Length: 48.0

Bed Length with Midgate down: 72.0

Bed Length with Midgate and Tailgate down: 96.0

Wheel Size: 19-inch

LLN e Motorauthority

Autoblog dice che è come un Honda Ridgeline ma molto piu brutto

Io adoro le concept car, soprattutto quando sono belle. Odio tuttavia i pick up....ma questo ha comunque delle soluzioni interessanti nel taglio e nella volumetria.

Video:

In effetti e' un mix tra Ridgeline.e Rampage ...

Insomma nulla di veramente nuovo sotto il sole.

Banalotto il frontale:

Non riesco a capire i fari anteriori....sembra che abbia i fari rivolti in basso..?!?

Gli interni dei Concept Toyota Usa difficilmente vengono ripresi sui modelli di serie...Questo fara' la stessa fine.

Il frontale è orribile non banalotto

sbaglio ho il paraurti anteriore è ammaccato sulla dx?