Toyota goes dynamic with ME.WE concept

Toyota revealed its funky looking ME.WE electric concept on Wednesday. The “anti-crisis” vehicle was designed in collaboration with French architect Jean-Marie Massaud. The ME.WE makes its debut at Le Rendez-vous Toyota, the company's brand-experience center in Paris.

The aim of the ME.WE, according to Toyota, is to be adaptable, reflect the values of “forward-thinking people,” and have a low operating cost.

Like the i-Road concept we saw at the Geneva motor show, the ME.WE uses a motor at each wheel for propulsion. This eliminates the need for transmissions, driveshafts and a centrally located engine.

Toyota says the car is a pickup, convertible, off-roader and small city car in one. It can operate in two- or four-wheel drive, it has a rear luggage platform that can be extended like a pickup, it wears a neoprene cover on the roof and its rear seats can be detached as expedient seating space outside.

The car's sheetmetal -- which is actually a series of interchangeable polypropylene panels -- make it look like a bigger Fiat 500, or maybe a long Mini. The ME.WE has an aluminum tubular chassis underneath the plastic. It weighs in at just 1,653 pounds and is 135 inches long, 69 inches wide and about 63 inches tall. In the video, we can see a handful of color, patterns and style options.

Bamboo is used for the floor and the cabin's other horizontal surfaces. Toyota says the ME.WE is easy to keep clean with a wash, inside and out.

Toyota and Massaud have been working on the car/party box concept since 2011, and with no mirrors turn signals or bumper, we assume it will stay that way for a while. But as a second car, for the beach and golf course, we'll allow it.

By Jake Lingeman