Toyota’s attractive Compact Cruiser EV bagged the Car Design Award in the Concept Cars category ahead of the Polestar O2 and Astheimer Aura during the Milano Design Week.
Established in 1984 by Auto&Design magazine, these awards are considered the Oscar of world car design, an unmissable event for the automotive community, according to Silva Baruffaldi, Editor of Auto&Design.
The fact that the organization chose the Compact Cruiser EV as the winner is quite unexpected since, before the awards, we only saw Toyota’s tiny off-roader in one picture, along with a plethora of other EV concepts from the company. However, the electric SUV created a stir among adventure seekers, and the new images will only pressure Toyota to bring it to dealerships more quickly.
At first glance, the Compact Cruiser EV looks like a miniature mashup of the Ford Bronco, the FJ Cruiser, and the Land Cruiser. However, the EV is much smaller than those models — perhaps even more petite than the RAV4. The diminutive dimensions add some cuteness to the chunky proportions, while the LED lighting injects modernism into the retro styling.
And it’s not just the looks — the short wheelbase and short overhangs should improve the off-road abilities. Along with the super-responsive electric AWD powertrain and high road clearance, the Compact Cruiser EV should be a capable light off-roader and perfect for adventure seekers and overlanders. Finally, the two-toned body also packs a ladder to reach its roof — beneficial if you carry rooftop loads.
Additional photos surfaced after the award ceremony included clay models in a simulated CGI environment. Toyota still doesn’t have a working prototype simply because the Compact Cruiser EV is still in the initial stages of development. For one thing, Toyota had announced a similar-looking vehicle, the FT-4X, back in 2017 but unfortunately never took it to production. Hopefully, the Compact Cruiser EV doesn’t suffer a similar fate.
We don’t have any numbers, though we suspect the company will push for a 60-70 kWh battery and 220-250 miles of range. Moreover, while AWD should be standard, don’t expect Tesla Plaid horsepower. We guess the retro EV will use the same configuration from the bZ4X AWD model, which has two 107-hp motors at each axle. Still, considering the type of vehicle, that should be more than enough.
Toyota says the off-roader is geared towards “young, professional urban dwellers who enjoy active outdoor leisure interests.” However, we hope that Toyota gears toward (pun intended) the production of this off-roader, especially since the market seems to be more than ready for it!
The company has promised to release 15 EVs by 2025, and we expect the Compact Cruiser EV to be ready for the road by then. Or, after the increasingly positive response, Toyota might even push the development of the “electric FJ Cruiser” forward. Let’s just hope the production model looks as fun as the concept!
Gallery: Toyota Compact Cruiser EV
