Toyota Setsuna electric concept – wood you like one?

toyota setsuna concept

Toyota will be debuting its Setsuna electric concept at the Milan Design Week next month. The novelty of this one is with the choice of its construction material – it’s made primarily of wood, and the body line is reminiscent of a boat.

There’s a specific reason for the thematic element – wood is durable, yet prone to change over time, providing uniquely appealing characteristics that are not offered in conventional cars. Its use on the study explores the long-going relationships between people and their cars, developed over the years.

The Setsuna – which measures in at 3,030 mm long, 1,480 mm wide and 970 mm tall, with a 1,700 mm-long wheelbase – derives its name from the Japanese word meaning “moment,” which was chosen to reflect that people experience precious, fleeting moments together with their vehicles.

A variety of wood types find their way on to the two-seater, including the exterior panels, frame, floor, and seats. Japanese cedar is used for the exterior panels and Japanese birch for the frame, and a traditional Japanese joinery technique called okuriari – which eschews the use of nails or screws – was adopted for the structure’s assembly.

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Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • Toyota jepun has upcar their umw moving coffins with this wooden coffin.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 4
  • A Toyota owner on Mar 07, 2016 at 10:04 pm

    In case of an accident, pls send your car to the nearest wood shop. Solved.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
  • Sparks outside the box thinking. Cool.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
  • Mitchel on Mar 07, 2016 at 10:30 pm

    I’m guessing this car has GN Drives cause it’s gonna go in TRANS AM IN 3 Seconds

    (Gundam 00 reference)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
  • jepunboleh on Mar 07, 2016 at 10:58 pm

    Can this car transform into a sampan ??? Good for Malaysians in KL , to counter flash floods.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
  • At first glance, I thought the name was Setsuna from Gundam 00 but it turns out Toyota put that name for meaning moment… XD

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • No, wooden like one.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • Toyota??? No way

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
  • alldisc on Mar 08, 2016 at 1:41 pm

    all this while we have cars made with steel with wood dashboard trimming.

    in future cars made by wood with steel dashboard trim.

    toyota is not first though, all Morgan cars are made by by wood as it base material.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • 2ltr bottle on Mar 08, 2016 at 3:23 pm

    A crash in a splinter second would injured you. Get it? Splinter? Haha.. Nevermind..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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