Japan concocts an all-new taxi

With a degree of functionality which in many ways equates with the iconic London Cab, the all-new JPN Taxi from Toyota parades traditional Japanese values.

The JPN Taxi will be the cab of choice by the time of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and replaces the six-seat Toyota Crown Comfort which has worked the streets from the mid-1990s.

However if you want to know more about what goes underneath the new Tokyo cab, you’ll need something other than the official material being presented by Toyota. It merely tells us the new taxi has been designed to cater for a wide variety of uses, from wheelchair-friendly to executive-appropriate.

“It’s a taxi with a people-friendly, universal design that delivers comfort and peace of mind to a diverse range of people, suitable for a variety of occasions.”

We are not given specifics of what powertrains will drive it either, although Toyota does say it uses a petrol-electric drivetrain and will incorporate “Eco functions expected from a model that represents the future,” suggesting an EV version is a possibility.

“The JPN Taxi embodies the spirit of Japanese hospitality, born out of numerous improvements and without compromise, as seen in such features as the convenient grab handles and the overall structure of the vehicle.”

To contain repair costs, the headlights and guards are divided into two parts.
Its versatility is boosted by a powered, sliding door on the left side, an oversize tailgate, a low flat floor, a high ceiling and large windows which, along with carefully positioned pillars, afford both driver and passengers a panoramic view of the world outside.

Although it must be said, the JPN Taxi looks more like a Shinkansen train than luxury sedan in terms of interior presentation.

The JPN Taxi will be painted in one colour, a traditional ‘Koiai’ blue – or Japanese indigo – and will be available in two levels: “Nagomi” (standard) and “Takumi” (premium).