Move over Segway: Toyota reveals C Walk T personal transport
Toyota wants you to get around with the C Walk T electric scooter
Toyota now has a new way of helping people get around. But don't expect it to come in the form of a four-wheeled vehicle. Instead, Toyota's latest product comes with just three wheels.
This is the C-Walk T and it's an all-electric scooter. Designed to be compact and comfortable to use in walking areas or large facilities, it's meant to be an alternative means of personal transport.
Whether you need it for the airport, the shopping mall, or going around a public park, Toyota says the C-Walk T is the perfect travel companion for pedestrians that need something relatively fast, efficient and eco-friendly. Toyota can even configure it to have a seat or work alongside a wheelchair for disabled customers.
It has a low flat base that measures just 150mm tall for easy boarding and alighting. It weighs 29 kg and has a minimum turning radius of 0.59m for easy maneuverability. The driving force of the C-Walk T is a brushless DC motor that makes 0.25 kW (or 0.33 PS) and is powered by a lithium-ion battery. On a full charge, Toyota says the C-Walk T can cover 14 km. Recharging the battery takes about 2.5 hours using a standard 100V charging device.
Operating the C-Walk T works much like a traditional scooter. It has an accelerator lever on the left-hand side that can control departure, acceleration, deceleration, and even stopping. Simply squeeze the lever to accelerate, and release the lever to come to a stop.
It also has brake levers on either side of the steering wheel which can be used to provide greater stopping power. It even has a reverse button for easier maneuvering.
To ensure the C-Walk T doesn't bump into other pedestrians while in use, Toyota installed an obstacle detection system. It works via a periphery sensor placed at the front of the C-Walk T that can detect a person or obstacle. Upon seeing a possible collision, it issues both a visual and audio alert and can automatically decelerate the scooter to just 2 km/h.
Afraid to use the electric scooter when going downhill? The C-Walk T has a steep slope detection function that can automatically slow down the scooter when traveling down a steep hill.
Toyota even mentioned that the C-Walk T has puncture-proof tires, further giving owners more peace of mind while using it.
The Toyota C-Walk T personal transport is now available in Japanese dealerships. Hopefully, Toyota offers the electric scooter outside of its home market as a standalone model, or as a special bundle when buying a vehicle.
Do you think the Toyota C Walk T will be a popular mode of transportation in the Philippines? Share your comments.
