Toyota Motor Sales is placing the 2013 Scion iQ EV in car sharing fleets near college campuses around  the United States
“Toyota believes battery-electric vehicles have the potential to play a role in future mobility strategies,” says Chris Hostetter, TMS group vice president of strategic planning.

“Up to now, cost and convenience issues have limited BEV’s appeal with a broad consumer market. Toyota developed the iQ EV specifically as a city commuter, for use in an

 urban environment, where driving distances are likely to be short, charging opportunities numerous, and its compact proportions beneficial.”

 The iQ EV is a battery- electric four-seater city commuter car designed for car-sharing programs, in urban and campus environments.

The iQ EV features Toyota’s newly developed high-output lithium-ion battery which delivers a world-class electric power consumption rate of 104 Wh/km in an ultra-compact and lightweight package. In ideal stop and go driving conditions, the 12 kWh battery provides an estimated range of up to 50 miles on a full charge. The vehicle can be fully charged in approximately three hours at 240V. Its 78-inch wheel base and 13.5 foot turning radius makes the iQ EV highly maneuverable in congested areas where streets are narrow and parking is at a premium.
“Approximately 90 iQ EVs will be available for fleet and car-sharing applications,” said Hostetter. “These programs will further expand Toyota’s comprehensive portfolio of advanced technology vehicles which includes the recently-released RAV4 EV, the Prius Family of gas-electric hybrid vehicles, including the Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and the FCHV-Adv (Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle-Advanced).”
The iQ EV development process strongly focused on the conservation of power consumption.

 A compact lightweight body, power-saving electrical equipment, and the application of experience gained from hybrid and plug-in hybrid development resulted in excellent all-around performance. The iQ EV is also equipped with energy conserving features such as regenerative braking, heat pump air conditioning with a pre-conditioning option, LED high-mounted stop light, heated front seats, and a heated windshield defroster.  By Joseph Szczesny