With so much automotive news over the weekend, we don’t know where to start. As usual, the best approach would be to feature unique mobility solutions and eventually showcase the flash rides. Toyota presents a whimsical platform that many agree resembles a hamster wheel, albeit at a larger scale. For now, the concept’s working name is spherical mobility.
Ideally, car companies prefer to allocate their resources to commercial pursuits. Many have dedicated subsidiaries that focus on motorsports, bespoke customizations, and more. It appears members of the Toyota Engineering Society have a bit more freedom to create unique machines like this motorized Zorb.
Meanwhile, movie buffs will immediately spot its similarities with the gyrosphere in Jurassic World. Since the body is completely transparent, operators practically enjoy 360-degree views of their surroundings. While it makes sense in the movie’s context, the spherical mobility seems to prove it’s possible to build something fully operational in real life.
Those closely following its development are now looking at a substantial upgrade over the small first prototype. Impressively, the team found a way to scale it up in just a few months. Fabricating the acrylic ball is not Toyota’s forte, which is why Shinshi is supplying these components for the project. In an interview, the manufacturer admits it was a difficult process.
Inside, the module features two tandem seats with restraints and four wheels that rest on rails. In its current iteration, the spherical mobility concept is still rough around the edges. Massive counterweights underneath keep it in a level position. Ventilation comes from cutouts, while stickers of fish and bubbles imply you’re inside an aquarium.
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Images courtesy of 
Toyota Engineering Society
