A Thrilling Tomorrow Beckons: Insights Gleaned from Our Ideal Vehicles
The Toyota Automobile Museum in Nagakute City, Aichi, Japan, is currently hosting an exciting exhibition that showcases groundbreaking research towards carbon neutrality. The event, titled "Let's Think About SDGs in Toyota Automobile Museum: Part 3-Carbon Neutrality in Cars and Waste Materials," runs until January 14, 2024.
Visitors of all ages, from elementary school students to couples in their 20s, are flocking to the museum to marvel at the solar cars on display. These unconventional vehicles, some with steering wheels that deviate from the norm, have sparked a sense of excitement among the public, with many expressing their anticipation for solar cars to be released commercially.
Despite their unique designs, these solar cars are fully functional and meant to be driven. One such example is the Solaemon-Go car, which boasts a head that opens up to reveal a cockpit. However, it's important to note that visitors are not allowed to climb into the exhibits, but can imagine themselves in the driver's seat to enjoy the uniqueness of each vehicle.
The exhibition is part of the museum's annual Let's Think About SDGs exhibitions, which began in 2021. The mission of the museum includes a constant pursuit of sustainability, and the exhibition aims to accurately convey the current situation and to encourage visitors to consider the problem together, helping them find ways to contribute.
Toyota's current solar car development primarily includes an optional roof-mounted solar panel system on the Toyota bZ4X electric SUV. This solar feature can generate enough electricity to provide about 1,800 km (1,100 miles) of range per year, serving as a supplementary source of power for the vehicle's main electric powertrain.
Beyond solar panels, Toyota is heavily investing in electrification and battery technology, including solid-state batteries expected around 2027. The company's broader clean vehicle strategy emphasises advanced hybrid engines, hydrogen fuel cells, and large-scale EV rollouts rather than dedicated solar-powered cars.
Maki Fujii from the Corporate Citizenship Division at Toyota Automobile Museum shared that significant progress is being made in solar car development. The museum's aspiration is to accurately convey the current situation and to encourage visitors to think about the future of sustainable transportation.
The exhibition features a wide range of vehicles, including solar, flying, and biodiesel cars, providing a comprehensive look at the various innovations being made in the pursuit of carbon neutrality. The venue also includes graphics that make carbon neutrality easier to understand, making it an educational and engaging experience for all.
Visitors leave the exhibition with a renewed sense of hope for a sustainable future, inspired by the innovative solar cars on display and the progress being made in the industry. The Toyota Automobile Museum's Carbon Neutrality Exhibition is a must-see for anyone interested in the future of transportation and sustainability.
- The Solaemon-Go car, showcased at the Toyota Automobile Museum's Carbon Neutrality Exhibition, is a testament to the stride environmental-science is making in solar-powered vehicles, with its head that opens up to reveal a cockpit.
- As the Toyota Automobile Museum's Carbon Neutrality Exhibition demonstrates, technology investments in electrification, battery technology, and alternative fuel sources like solar energy are crucial in overcoming climate-change and achieving carbon neutrality.
