Think of the most aerodynamic passenger vehicle on the market. Now think of the least. In one corner you may have the Toyota Prius, with its wind-cheating, economy-boosting shape. In the other there’s a pickup truck, with its boxy shape that looks about as aerodynamically efficient as the broadside of a warehouse. But if the latest reports are any indication, the two could come together before you know it.
Word has it that Toyota is considering reviving the A-BAT hybrid pickup concept that was unveiled three years ago at the Detroit Auto Show. The Advanced Breakthrough Aero Truck concept explored ways of making the pickup more efficient, and employed a hybrid drivetrain, unibody construction and a more compact shape.
If built, the A-BAT could join the Prius five-door and the new MPV variant – as well as a potential production version of the Prius C concept just unveiled at Cobo Hall – in the rapidly expanding Prius line-up.
