# e-Palette by Toyota Canonical page: https://technooptimist.io/vehicles/e-palette Frontier: [Vehicles](https://technooptimist.io/vehicles.md) · Field: Self-driving shuttles · Company: [Toyota](https://technooptimist.io/companies/toyota.md) Stage: Pilot (3 of 5: Research → Proto → Pilot → Deploy → Scaling) Updated: last update 2026-09-03, facts checked 2026-10-11 Goal: Give Japanese towns facing bus-driver shortages a driverless electric shuttle, built by Toyota but able to run whichever company's self-driving system works best. Status: On sale in Japan since Sept 2025 with Level 2 assistance; driverless Level 4 aimed for fiscal 2027. Next milestone: Level 4 (driverless in set areas) e-Palette on the market, target 2027 ## Milestones | Status | Milestone | Date | Slip | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Done | e-Palette concept shown at CES | Jan 2018 | | | Done | Paralympic pods halted after hitting a visually impaired athlete | 27 Aug 2021 | | | Done | May Mobility's self-driving e-Palette factory shuttle announced | 3 Dec 2024 | | | Done | Production e-Palette on sale in Japan | 15 Sep 2025 | | | Done | Public-road trials in Tokyo with May Mobility's driving system | 3 Sep 2026 | | | Current | Level 4 (driverless in set areas) e-Palette on the market | 2027 | | ## Upcoming events - **2027**: Level 4 (driverless in set areas) e-Palette on the market ## Most important updates - **3 Sep 2026**: May Mobility and NTT start public-road trials of a self-driving e-Palette in Tokyo. NTT Mobility and May Mobility began year-round trials of an e-Palette running May Mobility's driving system at a self-driving test area in Musashino, Tokyo. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/may-mobility-and-ntt-start-public-road-trials-of-a-self-driving-e-0650d705.md) · [original source](https://www.logi-today.com/995726)) - **10 Jun 2026**: Toyota takes a stake in Tier IV to bring Level 4 driving to the e-Palette by fiscal 2027. Toyota bought about 1% of Tokyo self-driving startup Tier IV, an estimated ¥1bn, and signed a technology agreement to fit Tier IV's system to the e-Palette for Level 4 operation by fiscal 2027. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/toyota-takes-a-stake-in-tier-iv-to-bring-level-4-driving-to-the-e-159be02b.md) · [original source](https://www.just-auto.com/news/toyota-tier-iv-l4-autonomous-vehicle-push/)) - **15 Sep 2025**: Toyota puts the e-Palette shuttle on sale in Japan at ¥29 million, aiming for a driverless version in fiscal 2027. Seven years after its CES debut, Toyota began selling the e-Palette, a 17-person low-floor electric shuttle, built to order and sold directly. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/toyota-puts-the-e-palette-shuttle-on-sale-in-japan-at-29-million-aiming-45323fcd.md) · [original source](https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/corporate/43308425.html)) - **3 Dec 2024**: May Mobility to run self-driving e-Palette shuttles at a Toyota factory in Fukuoka. May Mobility announced a weekday staff shuttle at Toyota Motor Kyushu's Miyata factory using e-Palettes fitted with its self-driving system. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/may-mobility-to-run-self-driving-e-palette-shuttles-at-a-toyota-factory-f6f8bc02.md) · [original source](https://maymobility.com/posts/may-mobility-to-launch-autonomous-e-palette-at-toyota-motor-kyushu-factory-japan/)) - **27 Aug 2021**: Toyota halts its self-driving e-Palette pods at the Paralympic Village after one hits a visually impaired athlete. Toyota suspended all e-Palette pods carrying athletes around the Tokyo Paralympic Village, a day after one struck a visually impaired pedestrian. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/toyota-halts-its-self-driving-e-palette-pods-at-the-paralympic-village-c5f1d95f.md) · [original source](https://www.tbsnews.net/features/wheels/toyota-halts-all-self-driving-e-palette-vehicles-after-olympic-village-accident)) ## Current obstacles - **Not driverless yet**: The car on sale only assists a human driver; Level 4 depends on partners' kits passing Japan's certification, targeted by March 2028. - **Very expensive**: At ¥29M it is Toyota's priciest vehicle, roughly half covered by subsidy; a driverless shuttle only pays off once the driver's wage disappears. - **A history of slow rollout**: Shown in 2018 and paused at the 2021 Paralympics, it took over seven years to go on sale, only in Japan, sold directly and built to order. ## Physics limits - **Mixed streets are the hard part**: A shuttle can be made reliable on a fixed loop, but pedestrians, cyclists and blind turns on public roads produce rare situations the software must handle with no one to take over. - **A box trades range for space**: A tall, flat-sided body maximises cabin room but pushes a lot of air, so a 73 kWh battery gives only about 250 km, enough for a day's loops, not long routes. - **Someone still watches**: Even Level 4 services need remote monitoring and staff to help passengers, so driver costs shrink rather than vanish. ## How it works ### Interface: A socket for someone else's self-driving system A standard control interface lets an outside kit, such as May Mobility's or Tier IV's, command steering, brakes and speed; key systems are duplicated. ### Steering: Steer-by-wire No mechanical shaft links the steering wheel to the road wheels; steering is electronic, which suits computer control. ### Cabin: Low floor and a powered ramp The floor sits 37 cm up (27 cm lowered) behind a 1.28 m wide door; an electric ramp lets a wheelchair user board alone from a normal kerb. ### Multi-use: Bus at rush hour, shop at midday Fittings and signage swap so it runs as a shuttle morning and evening and a store while charging; it can also power buildings in a blackout. ## Spec sheet | Spec | e-Palette | Provenance | | --- | --- | --- | | Price in Japan (before options) | ¥29M (about $196,000) | reported | | Government subsidy | ¥15.835M | reported | | Capacity | 17 (4 seated, 12 standing, driver) | reported | | Battery | 72.82 kWh | reported | | Range | About 250 km | reported | | Motor power | 150 kW, 266 N·m | reported | | Top speed | 80 km/h | reported | | Fast charge (90 kW DC) | About 40 min to 80% | reported | | Floor height | 370 mm (270 mm lowered) | reported | | Length × width × height | 4.95 × 2.08 × 2.65 m | reported | | Weight | 2,950 kg | reported | | Automation today | Level 2 (driver supervises) | reported | Provenance: reported = stated by the company; estimated = our estimate; sample = a sample figure. ## About Toyota Toyota is the world's largest automaker by volume. It pioneered mass-production hybrid vehicles (Prius, 1997) and leads in electric and hydrogen fuel-cell development. The company is developing all-solid-state batteries with ceramic electrolytes to enable longer-range EVs with faster charging. - Developed sulfide-based solid-state batteries with Idemitsu Kosan; Japan approved production in October 2025. - First vehicles equipped in 2027–2028 targeting 1,000 km range and 10-minute charging. - Solid ceramic electrolyte replaces liquid, enabling denser, safer, more efficient cells with higher energy density. - Founded: 1937 - Headquarters: JP - Status: public - Website: https://global.toyota/ - Partners, customers, investors: Idemitsu Kosan (partner); Sumitomo Metal Mining (partner) Company page: https://technooptimist.io/companies/toyota.md ## Related programs More from Toyota: - [All-solid-state battery](https://technooptimist.io/energy/solid-state-battery.md) (Pilot) - [Lexus Shanghai gigacasting line](https://technooptimist.io/manufacturing/lexus-shanghai-gigacasting.md) (Proto) Everything in Vehicles: https://technooptimist.io/vehicles.md --- The Techno Optimist tracks every frontier of technology, program by program: https://technooptimist.io/ (a Markdown version of any page: add .md to its URL; site map for agents: https://technooptimist.io/llms.txt). 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