Toyota has released pictures of a lightweight four-seat concept vehicle, the ES3, aimed at achieving low emissions, easy recycling and an ultra-high-fuel efficiency of 104.6mpg.

To achieve such impressive fuel economy, Toyota kept the ES3's kerb weight down to 700kg by adopting a body made largely of aluminium and resin. The ES3 is powered by a turbocharged 1.4-litre direct-injection diesel engine combined with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). An "idling stop" mode, which automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle is stopped, and regenerative braking technology have been included to achieve higher efficiency.

For cleaner emissions, the ES3 is equipped with the Diesel Particulate-NOx Reduction System (DPNR), a new catalytic converter technology. DPNR will feature on regular production cars from Toyota in the near future. The car's high recyclability comes from the use of improved Toyota Super Olefin Polymer (TSOP) and biodegradable plastic, among other advanced materials and processes, greatly reducing the amount of substances of environmental concern.

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