Toyota’s New Thing: An Electric Scooter?

After last year’s bumpy ride Toyota Motor Corp. could be forgiven for looking ahead. And while its prowess in environmentally friendly hybrid technology is legendary – step forward the Prius, now Japan’s biggest seller ever – here’s something new: Toyota is currently developing an electric kick, or push, scooter, as favored by kids and urban hipsters, that’s powered by a technology known as “all-solid-state battery.”

Before enthusiasts get too worked up about the prospect of Toyota helping them scoot around town, Shinzo Kobuki, a senior Toyota managing director, in charge of Toyota’s R&D operations, said in a recent interview that the battery being developed isn’t really a vector for two-wheelers. It’s actually key to determining whether electric cars will become a mass product, as it could clear a major obstacle for such zero-emission vehicles — limited driving range.

“I think electric vehicles will be available only to a limited number of customers in limited regions,” the executive said, referring to the limited range of 100 miles or so permitted by the current lithium-ion battery technology. For those who aren’t city drivers, 100 miles or so simply might not cut it. However, said Mr. Kobuki, “If we can make the next generation battery usable (for longer distances), that could get EVs out of the niche market.”

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