UK Tells Toyota to “Come and Produce”: Major Support for Micro Electric Vehicle Project

The UK has offered incentives to Toyota to manufacture its micro electric vehicle called the FT-Me in the country. With government support, the project gained momentum; the model will be a rival to the Citroën Ami in the European market.

Toyota is preparing to turn its FT-Me Concept, a micro electric vehicle for urban mobility, into a reality. The company plans to bring the vehicle to the mass production stage thanks to £15 million in investment support from the UK government. The project aims for the vehicle to be produced at the Burnaston factory in Derbyshire.

The FT-Me, which will be a rival to models like the Citroën Ami and Microlino, will be subject to the same L6e quadricycle regulations. This limits the vehicle’s power to 8 horsepower and its maximum speed to 45 km/h (28 mph).

Toyota will collaborate with Elm, which produces urban delivery vehicles, the material technology company Savcor, and the University of Derby to assess the project’s feasibility. The vehicle will use some components from Elm’s Evolv electric delivery vehicle. Savcor will provide the vehicle’s solar-paneled roof. According to Toyota’s statement, this system can offer an estimated 30 km (18.6 miles) range gain per day.

The support was provided under the £2.5 billion Drive35 program, established to accelerate the UK automotive industry’s transition to zero-emission vehicles. The program requires the company or consortium receiving the investment to provide at least 50% co-funding. In this case, Toyota is estimated to be bearing the majority of the project’s financial burden.

The Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), which manages the Drive35 fund, announced that the total investment in Toyota’s micro electric vehicle project has reached £30.3 million.

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