The latest addition to Toyota’s C+Walk series was unveiled this week. The three-wheel mobility scooter is being called the C+Walk S and is intended to help Japan’s aging population get around.
In its research, Toyota determined that people over the age of 75 start having trouble after 328 feet (100 meters) of walking. That means that the proportion of 75-year-olds who go out is 10 percent lower than the percentage of 65-year-olds.
As a result, Toyota sought to design a scooter that was as handy as it was attractive. The C+Walk S features sleek design, a range of colors, a light battery that is easy to recharge, and ample storage, to help users go out with confidence.
The design was inspired by the rest of Toyota’s C+ lineup, including the stand-up C+Walk T scooter and the C+Pod microcar. It is offered in black, warm gray, gray metallic, or copper mica metallic.
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More than just sleek, the three-wheel design is intended to make it easy for users to get on and off the C+Walk S. It also makes it easier to see what’s going on ahead. Meanwhile, a storage space large enough for a basket of groceries is located under the seat.
Controlling the scooter is a cinch, thanks to a simple accelerator lever that the rider can simply release to slow down. If they really need to slow down in a hurry, there is a separate brake control.
The C+Walk S is also full of advanced driver assistance features, like an obstacle detection system that slows the scooter down to a speed of 1.2 mph (2 km/h) if it notices something ahead that needs to be avoided.
The system helps slow the scooter down when the rider is going around a corner to ensure that the C+Walk S doesn’t become a Reliant Robin all of a sudden. Similarly, it can slow the scooter down on a steep hill to prevent the rider from losing control.
When all of the safety systems are off, the C+Walk S has a top speed of 3.8 mph (6 km/h), which Toyota says is roughly walking speed. The lithium-ion battery can only convey the C+Walk S 7.4 miles (12 km) per charge, but it is fully removable (it weighs just 5.5 lbs/2.5 kg) and can be recharged in two and half hours.
Prices for the C+Walk S start at 498,000 Yen ($3,823 USD at current exchange rates), but customers who want the full suite of driving assistance technology will have to pay 505,000 Yen ($3,877 USD). The scooter can now be purchased at Toyota dealerships in Japan.
