Toyota to roll out concept pickup

Small hybrid truck to debut at Detroit auto show adds solar panels to charge GPS system and displays.

Christine Tierney / The Detroit News

Toyota Motor Corp. will unveil a concept for a small hybrid pickup at the North American International Auto Show in January.

Toyota said the A-BAT show truck was conceived by its U.S. sales and design experts with suburban drivers in mind.

"This compact truck is as comfortable for long commutes as it is for road trips," Kevin Hunter, president of Calty Design Research Inc. in Newport Beach, Calif., said in a statement.

Positioned below the Tacoma in Toyota’s lineup, the A-BAT bears a resemblance to Honda Motor Co.’s midsize Ridgeline pickup. Like the Ridgeline, the A-BAT has a unibody platform, which provides car-like handling and a smoother ride.

It features plenty of gadgets, such as tailgate lighting, a portable power pack, information-display screens for the driver and front passenger, and clever storage areas, such as a sliding drawer beneath the 4-foot bed.

"We were able to create a compact truck that’s utilitarian, has a ’small, but tough’ character and is economical to operate," Hunter said.

In addition to the fuel-efficient gas-electric powertrain, the A-BAT’s other environmentally friendly attributes include solar panels that can convert sunlight into energy to charge the navigation unit and information displays.

Toyota said its designers strived to create a rugged look for the exterior but a modern interior. The truck can seat four in a combination of configurations.

Toyota will unveil the truck on Jan. 13 during the press preview of the Detroit auto show.

The Japanese automaker will be entering the 2008 show as the second-largest automaker in the U.S. market.

Through the first 11 months of the year, Toyota has sold 2.4 million vehicles in the United States, ahead of Ford Motor Co. with 2.35 million in sales.

But Toyota’s sales growth has moderated to a 3.6 percent increase so far this year, after a 12.5 percent surge in 2006.

In addition to the A-BAT, on Jan. 14, Toyota will pull the wraps off the 2009 Venza crossover, which seats five.

Toyota said the Venza, which blends SUV and sedan attributes, was designed and engineered in the United States and will be assembled at its Georgetown, Ky., plant next year.