- Ultralightweight car with cabin space of a Prius but about 1/3 as heavy
- Plug-in hybrid powertrain with 500-cc engine
- Four passengers, 420 kilogram curb weight (about 900 pounds)
- Roof is made of kenaf and ramie fibers held together by lactic-acid polymer bioplastic
- Body panels made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, like Toyota's Formula 1 racing car
Toyota says: It may look unpretentious, but the 1/X is engineered to be about twice as energy efficient as a Prius. It's also designed to be even more considerate of its surroundings and to enhance its occupants' appreciation of the natural world and fellow humans outside.
We say: How long before pretentious Hollywood stars arrive in one for the red-carpet strut during the Oscars ceremony?