Toyota redefines wood class: car made of japanese birch

adminonApril 20, 2022February 11, 2022Leave a Comment

the new setsuna from toyota is really a very special car: its chassis is made entirely of wood. With the concept study, toyota wants to show that wood develops a patina all of its own, which has its own value for car owners. This week this unique idea can be seen at the design week in milan.

If it weren’t for the wheels, the toyota setsuna could pass for a boat. The car is made of wood, even the seats and the entire interior.

Job search for engineers

„Nothing is impossible, toyoooota": who doesn’t know this pretty advertising slogan sung by two monkeys at the end of every corolla commercial in the 90s?. Now the japanese prove with their concept study setsuna that this slogan is still valid.

At the world’s largest design fair, design week in milan, toyota will be exhibiting the new setsuna from 11. Up to 17. April this unusual car before. The special feature: the setsuna is largely made of wood.

Japanese birch for the frame

Wood is not the material of choice in automotive engineering; at best, it is used for an elegant dashboard or a tactile steering wheel in expensive luxury sedans. Different for toyota. Japanese birch, among other materials, was used for the frame of the setsuna concept, which is a good three meters long.

Even the steering wheel is made of cypress wood using the traditional Japanese carpentry technique okuriari, which requires no screws or nails at all.

The exterior trim is made of local cedar wood. the noble design is rounded off by some aluminum parts, which aesthetically combine wonderfully with the wood optics. The setsuna concept car is an open two-seater, a roadster that measures 1480 mm in width and 970 mm in height. The curved chassis is somewhat reminiscent of a boat. From a purely visual point of view, only the wheels interfere with this association.

Setsuna can be described as "moment übersetzen

The name of the concept study is a play on words: setsuna is the Japanese word for "moment übersetzen. That’s exactly what the Setsuna is supposed to reflect: all the fleeting moments that people experience with and in their cars. And that over generations.

The setsuna is equipped with two electric motors and chugs through the neighborhood at 45 km/h. Currently, however, it has a very limited range of only 30 kilometers, because the setsuna is only a concept study.

Toyota redefines the wood class: a car made of Japanese birch

Toyota redefines wood class: car made of japanese birch tree

Toyota redefines wood class: car made from Japanese birch tree

Toyota redefines wood class: car made of Japanese birch

The wooden car represents "the gradual transformation of vehicles that, over the course of their life cycle, absorb the desires, memories and emotions of entire generations of drivers and their families", so toyota. „Through these experiences, the vehicle gains an individual value for each user.“ For toyota, wood is a durable material that changes color and texture, but with proper care can last for decades.

The setsuna is built entirely without screws and nails

Toyota has remained true to the wood tradition in the assembly of the setsuna concept and has turned to an old Japanese technique. „For the assembly of the individual parts we used the traditional japanese joinery technique okuriari, which does not require any screws or nails", explains project manager kenji tsuji.

even the hubcaps of the toyota setsuna are made of wood.

Even the steering wheel made of cypress wood was mounted using the okuriari technique. the toyota engineers think sustainable and intergenerational with the setsuna concept. the wooden wagon has a 100-year counter on board. This chronometer is meant to measure time for the generations for which the car was built.

concept car drives electrically and very slowly

But one thing is clear: the setsuna is primarily an advertising gimmick. the concept car presented in milan has a top speed of 45 km/h. the setsuna is driven by two small electric motors about whose performance data toyota is silent. this much is known: there are six lead-acid cells as batteries, which are otherwise installed in scooters, which move the setsuna from the place.

the setsuna currently travels 30 kilometers on this battery pack. There is still room for improvement, or as kenji tsuji says: "the car can still develop a complex and unique character over the years.“ nothing is impossible.

Almost entirely without metal: the wooden wheel by Japanese student Yojiro Oshima

Almost no metal: the wooden wheel by Japanese student yojiro oshima.

Source: musashino art university

This also applies to wheels made of wood. At least they have the chance that they can afford one. For example, the wooden load wheel raiooo or the aero wheel made of filigree birch wood slats. If you haven’t had enough of that, here’s an overview of the world’s most unusual wooden wheels.

If you want to buy cars easily and cheaply, you need to know where. Bfp fleet& management gives orientation.

Wholesale centers in the contract trade and leasing companies
Free import dealers and re-importers
Online car exchanges and buying syndicates
The digital buyer

From alfons wolf

vehicle procurement is classic purchasing. Already at this point, fleets can set essential levers to increase cost efficiency. So the question is: which purchasing source suits my fleet??

process and performance differences between the purchasing sources result not only, but also from the different needs of the customer. So the first question is whether the fleet needs an immediately available stock vehicle or a vehicle tailored to its individual needs. If advice is needed on vehicle selection and configuration and/or if the customer wants financing in the form of leasing or a car loan, as well as, for example, warranty follow-up insurance? These are the four most important characteristics by which supply and demand can be sorted.

Key account centers in the contract trade and leasing companies

fleets that buy or lease cars often do so under wholesale agreements with manufacturers. for small companies without the critical purchasing mass, special agreements with selected dealers can be a solution.

Most fleet customers – especially larger ones – cannot and do not want to do without a high level of advice and service. In these criteria, the key account centers and leasing companies, with their processes specifically tailored to the target group, have a more or less clear advantage over all other purchasing sources.

Service is not just an empty phrase, as henning heise, chairman of the austrian fleet association (FVA) and an expert in the fleet business, explains with an example: "if the pharmaceutical representative misses an appointment with the chief physician because of the delayed provision of a replacement vehicle, this will cost more money in the core business than could ever be saved by individual bargains in purchasing from alternative sources."

Financing cars: buying, leasing, renting or subscribing?

The framework agreements with the wholesalers always refer to a specific purchase quantity. from his experience, heise can report that a slight undercut does not directly lead to the loss of the rebate, as long as the lower purchase quantity does not become the rule. However, bonuses are generally offered for larger quantities than agreed upon.

Andreas jonscher, managing director for marketing and sales at the reimporter toha, points out, however, that "discounts offered are often tied to conditions such as a minimum holding period or mileage. Furthermore, special equipment or special offer items are often excluded from fleet discounts."

Especially commercial customers, who are not served as fleet customers, tend to get less good offers here compared to an EU-vehicle. Finally, it is often the time of purchase that is decisive – if a manufacturer or importer is offering a promotion at that time, very good conditions can be obtained.

Independent import dealers and re-importers

The unification of the EU economic area has not progressed so far that clever buyers cannot realize price differences through the many import and export transactions. A distinction must be made between vehicles produced abroad and exported to germany and re-imports, i.e. vehicles produced in germany for other markets that are bought up. The reasons for purchase advantages are the price differentiation strategies of the car manufacturers and the different tax rates. From Austria, for example, there are significant, mainly tax-driven exports to France.

In the case of vehicles from abroad, a closer look at the equipment features is advisable: if you use an import from colder Scandinavia for Germany, for example, you may look in vain for an air conditioning system. Also annoying can be the not always but often increased administrative effort due to importing.

As a rule, EU vehicle dealers tend to focus on the passenger car business and offer only a small selection of commercial vehicles, if any at all. In addition, the delivery lots for large customers are often limited by the available lot sizes in the EU.

These are the main types of leasing

A representative among EU vehicle dealers is toha: the company has a powerful EU vehicle configurator. The product and service portfolio includes 20 passenger car manufacturers, nine commercial vehicle brands with more than 100 freely configurable models. In this way, the company from near passau addresses a typical problem area for importers. A large selection and the offer of many configuration options is what makes it possible for fleet managers to keep within their car policy when placing orders.

Andreas jonscher of toha has some good advice for choosing an importer: "excellent coverage and digitalization of the entire supply chain is essential, as importers cannot rely on the system landscape that is available to the contract trade. Delivery time management, which must also include supply partners in the EU, is particularly important here." you should also look for a reliable and reputable network of suppliers throughout the EU, so that you can offer a wide range of models and are not dependent on just a few EU countries. Contracts should be able to be concluded in accordance with german law.

Online vehicle exchanges and buying syndicates

With digitalization, the traditional trade is losing out, and the importers and, of course, the online vehicle exchanges such as mobile are the main winners.De or meinauto.De. However, the interest of fleet managers in searching the online vehicle exchanges is limited, if at all, to additions to the fleet portfolio, as the offer is still primarily aimed at private customers.

The online vehicle exchanges act primarily as an intermediary between the interested party and the seller, who usually pays the commission. The conditions are to be examined particularly, because they have a accordingly high individualization degree. The latest discount study conducted by the CAR institute at the university of essen-duisburg in november last year quantifies possible discounts at internet dealers: for self-configured 30 top models, there is an average discount of 18.8 percent on the list price.

Important basics: what fleet managers need to know

In the case of buying syndicates, performance depends on the framework agreements concluded and the portfolio of the supply partner. They often lack their own vehicle portfolio and consulting expertise. This is what a sales partner like toyota can provide: "buying groups are relevant for us in order to address large target groups in an appropriate and controlled manner, says mario kohler, general manager toyota& lexus business customer service. The Japanese auto giant is growing strongly in car fleets in the segment up to 50 vehicles. In light commercial vehicle fleets, toyota germany is also increasingly reaching fleets of over 100 vehicles.

henning heise from the FVA has little sympathy for the time-consuming hunt for the lowest purchase prices, and sometimes misses a holistic view of procurement in the industry: "the achievable discounts are small in relation to the total costs of a vehicle over its lifetime. There are many other ways to reduce costs with at least the same degree of suitability."

The digital buyer

One instrument that can compensate for disadvantages such as a lack of experience or purchasing power is software support for the procurement process. There are not many major solutions on the market, one of which is offered by community4you.

With the software from the software company founded in 2001, fleet managers can, for example, define individual authorization levels according to salary class, create car policies and integrate leasing providers. The self-configured approval procedures are not only fully digital, but also multi-client capable. Vehicle users – including those from subsidiaries – can then select their desired vehicle from the options available to them and configure it according to the specified conditions. "The offers are calculated in real time, different terms and financing models can be compared – and the most favorable leasing offer can be determined through multi-bidding", explains lavinio cerquetti, board member at community4you.

henning heise is skeptical about auction forms such as multi-bidding: "experience has shown that the advantage of short-term, particularly advantageous offers is recovered by the sellers during the life cycle of the vehicle."

milk frother test – best products 2022 in comparison

The best milk frother should not only fit your budget, but also be tailored to your personal needs. The type of milk frother, its intended use and cleaning are of particular importance here. In our test we have compiled the 10 best milk frothers 2022 for you. We have already done the research work for you, so that you will be able to find the right product for you in the shortest possible time and then purchase it. As our test winner, we present the severin milk frother SM 9684, which convinces above all with its convenient cleaning and functionality. The bodum 1446-01 milk frother was also convincing, not only because of its elegant appearance, but also because of its manual operation.

Comparison table

1. Place

The severin milk frother SM 9684 convinces with an uncomplicated operation, three different functions and excellent results. It produces excellent milk foam and is easy to clean.

The price of the model is relatively high. Another disadvantage is that this model is not suitable for latte art.

The milk frother is suitable for both private and commercial use, the interplay of strong performance, functionality and attractive appearance make this model our test winner 2021.

2. Place

See price at amazon.De

This milk frother with the noble glass jug is our best manual model. The bodum milk frother 1446-01 is particularly efficient and produces powerful foam by muscle power.

The technique requires dexterity and practice. With the manual milk frother, the milk must also be heated separately beforehand.

The model produces high quality foam in the shortest time, is easy to clean, and is therefore a compact, functional device with a noble design

3.Also interesting

The philipps senseo milk frother CA6500/10 has a particularly attractive appearance. Hot or cold milk foam can be produced within two minutes. The model is space-saving and convinces with creamy foam.

Cleaning the milk frother is more complicated than with other models, as not all parts can be separated from the technology and cleaning by hand is therefore necessary.

the model is a small and space-saving device, an eye-catcher in every kitchen and suitable for occasional use.

Buying advice for milk frothers

If you want to enjoy a latte macchiato or a cappuccino with perfect milk foam, then you should not do without a high-quality milk frother according to our recommendation. But there are numerous details to consider when buying a suitable model. In addition to the different types of milk frothers, a price comparison, the ease of operation and, of course, the intended use are of central importance in order to find the right milk frother from a wide range of offers.

Types of milk frother

Experience with milk frothers shows that they differ both in the way they are driven and in the way they are operated. The choice of the right model therefore also depends on the desired area of application and the available budget. In addition to manual milk frothers, which work in the classic manual mode, there are the following types of automatic milk frothers:

Electrically operated milk frothers: models with this mode of operation heat the milk within a few minutes and can produce fine milk foam at the same time. These models usually have a high capacity and can also froth large quantities of milk. However, these models also take up more space than manually operated models. Electric milk frothers can also be a little more complicated to clean, as not all of them are suitable for the dishwasher.

Battery-powered milk frothers: these milk frothers have a motor-driven small whisk. This transforms the hot milk into milk foam. However, as with manual machines, the milk must first be heated separately in a stainless steel container. These models are often so-called rod whisks. Batteries are necessary for the start-up, so that no cable interferes during the preparation of the milk foam.

Milk frother induction: with induction milk frothers, the milk container is placed on the induction base. A whisk is located inside the milk container, and the milk is foamed at the touch of a button. However, these models take up considerably more space than manual models or stick frothers. They are therefore particularly suitable for use in larger kitchens, this should be borne in mind when considering a purchase. A particular advantage of induction milk frothers is that they produce delicious milk foam easily and conveniently in just a few minutes. No separate vessel is required and cleaning is usually uncomplicated as well.

Steam nozzle milk frothers: milk frothers with integrated steam nozzle are particularly suitable for professional use, for example in the catering industry. Many fully automatic coffee and espresso machines have an additional steam nozzle for milk foam. To create creamy milk foam, the steam nozzle is dipped into the jug of milk. the vacuum created by the steam nozzle forms a solid milk foam in the milk jug.

The characteristics of milk frothers

Which model is best for you depends, among other things, on whether you want to froth milk occasionally or whether you are looking for a frother for professional use. In order to reliably assess the quality of the milk frother, these characteristics are the most important:

consistency: although preferences occasionally diverge when it comes to the texture of milk foam, a fluffy yet firm milk foam is often preferred. In any case, a high-quality milk foam should be fine-pored and not too runny.

Maximum fill quantity: anything from 100 ml to 350 ml is possible here. Thus, for larger households, a device with a higher capacity is recommended. In general, you should keep in mind that about half of the filling quantity remains liquid and cannot be converted into foam.

Preparation time: with electric models, the preparation time is much shorter compared to manual devices. However, even with electric milk frothers, there are deviations between two and five minutes.

Other purchase criteria

Purpose of use: you want to enjoy a latte macchiato or cappuccino without paying a lot of money or having to visit a cafe all the time? With your own milk frother, you not only save a lot of money, you can also prepare your drink the way you like it best at any time. Both manual and automatic models are suitable for home use. If you want to enjoy several hot drinks with milk foam every day with your entire family, then an induction model or an electric milk frother with a high capacity might be suitable. If you enjoy an occasional cappuccino, a manual milk frother or a battery-operated whisk may be more suitable.

Handling: it is important to you that the device is easy and quick to operate? With electric milk frothers and induction milk frothers, you can create perfect milk foam in 2 to 3 minutes at the touch of a button. Manual and battery-operated models require a bit more dexterity and time to use. Milk frothers with steam nozzles, on the other hand, are more suitable for the professional sector.

Cleaning: in general, it is advisable to choose milk frothers with an anti-stick coating, as cleaning is usually easier. Some milk frothers are suitable for cleaning in the dishwasher, while other models require cleaning by hand. Stainless steel milk frothers are particularly easy to clean. Battery-powered hand-held devices can usually be cleaned of dirt with hot water and a brush. Manual milk frothers with lids are usually dishwasher safe. Cleaning electric and induction milk frothers is often a bit more time-consuming. Care is sometimes required, as the sensitive electronics must not come into contact with water. For some frothers, it is best to clean them immediately after use to avoid stubborn milk residues that make cleaning unnecessarily difficult.

10 best milk frothers 2022 in test

In the following test report you will find an overview of the test winners we have determined, in our comparison we have determined the 10 best milk frothers 2022. An important role was played here by the functionality, the price-performance ratio, but also the appearance and workmanship of the appliances. With our selection, we would like to make your purchase decision easier and help you make the best choice for you.

Japanese birch for the frame

Setsuna can be described as "moment übersetzen

The setsuna is built entirely without screws and nails

concept car drives electrically and very slowly

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