What's the news?

The Toyota Design Network/CALTY Design Research e-grus is described as "the ultimate electric hyper-commuter vehicle that specializes in long distance travel and minimal footprint city driving." Inspired by the crane (that's the bird, not something on your local building site), e-grus can be driven autonomously, positioned at a full extension aero profile for efficiency and high speed stability much like a crane in flight.

Exterior

The e-grus features the ability to switch between a sleek aerodynamic shape for high speed commuting and a more upright, compact form for urban driving. In its sportiest mode the e-grus resembles an enclosed Formula 1 car with open wheels and a single occupant lying down in the car. In urban guise it resembles an oversized pram with the driver sitting high over the rear wheel for a commanding view of the road. The metamorphosis between the two modes comes from an active metal surface that sends electric currents for a pliable skin that hardens once positioned vertically or horizontally.

Interior

Looking at the pictures of the e-grus you may be wondering how you gain access to the interior. Being a pliable material, when not electrified the top cover is simply unzipped and it only becomes rigid when the vehicle is powered up.

Mechanicals

Much of the mechanicals of the e-grus are housed in a carbon steel frame that forms not only the driver space, but also the home for the battery packs that supply power to four in-wheel electric motors. The e-grus is controlled by wireless drive controls - when the driver is in charge. In the sleeker commuter mode the driver can engage autonomous driving and have a snooze. Sitting below the carbon steel frame is the chassis that features carbon fibre retractable struts that allow the e-grus to shorten its wheelbase to give an overall length less than that of a Smart car.

Anything else?

Toyota hasn't gone completely mad. The e-grus was created as part of the 2013 edition of the annual LA Design Challenge, which runs alongside the LA Auto Show. Automotive design studios from around the world are invited to participate and this year, studios from Germany, Japan and the US competed to design "Biomimicry & Mobility 2025: Nature's Answer to Human Challenges."

Dave Humphreys - 27 Nov 2013