Toyota Kayoibako: a small and stylish electric van with big potential

As part of the Tokyo Japan Mobility Show 2023, which opens on October 25, Toyota will show a small Kayoibako van, capable of solving a wide range of tasks. Whether the Kayoibako will become a serial product is still unknown, but it reflects the main trends in the development of the LCV segment very accurately.

This century, Toyota has already presented about two dozen concepts on the topic of urban mobility and urban logistics, but none of them have yet become serial. Kayoibako differs from its predecessors in that it looks very well thought out and production ready. In the LCV segment, models of this type are now in great demand; similar projects are being developed by dozens of startups (for example, the British Helixx) and large companies (for example, the new joint venture between Renault and Volvo) — in general, the topic is promising and potentially very profitable.

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The word Kayoibako refers to the modular containers of delivery services and, apparently, emphasizes the spaciousness of the Toyota van: with a rather impressive wheelbase of 2800 mm, its overall length is only 3990 mm, width — 1790 mm, height — 1855 mm. In the cargo version, only the driver's seat is installed in the Kayoibako cabin, and the space on the side of it can be used for cargo, a work table or a wheelchair. The useful length of the cabin on the side of the driver is 3127 mm (behind the driver's seat — 2124 mm), width — 1485 mm, height — 1437 mm.

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Nothing is said about the Kayoibako's powertrain, other than that it is fully electric. The battery is mounted in the floor, the charging port is on the left side of the rear light, and there is a power take-off socket for external devices under the front hatch. The windshield is two-tiered, like the American Canoo vans. There is no central pillar on the left side, so when you open the side doors, you get a huge loading opening — we have already seen a similar solution on the latest generation Renault Kangoo.

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The driver's seat is designed extremely succinctly, all operational information is displayed on a panoramic instrument panel across the entire width of the cabin (its outer sections broadcast images from external rear-view cameras), on the side of the steering wheel there is another touch screen for setting the microclimate and the travel route .

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Kayoibako can be used not only as a van, but also as a taxi, ambulance, mobile workshop, food truck and even as a family car for traveling. There are also many options for external customization — for example, a shuttle in the classic JDM style in black on giant wheels. In short, the car turned out to be interesting — it would be very strange if Toyota, after the Japan Mobility Show 2023, simply archived it and did not make a production van based on the concept.