Skip to main content

Hot Seat

A Japanese manufacturer of toilets has assembled a trike that is powered by biogas as a promotional tool. This vehicle features a toilet bowl on which the driver sits. The toilet is thankfully not connected and is for aesthetic purposes only. The rm, TOTO, has called its vehicle the ToiletBike Neo Project, which forms part of the TOTO Green Challenge, the rm's aim at reducing CO2 emissions from bathrooms by 50% by 2017, compared with levels recorded in 1990. Other interesting features of the ToiletBike Ne
April 16, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
A Japanese manufacturer of toilets has assembled a trike that is powered by biogas as a promotional tool. This vehicle features a toilet bowl on which the driver sits. The toilet is thankfully not connected and is for aesthetic purposes only. The firm, 4921 TOTO, has called its vehicle the ToiletBike Neo Project, which forms part of the TOTO Green Challenge, the  rm's aim at reducing CO2 emissions from bathrooms by 50% by 2017, compared with levels recorded in 1990. Other interesting features of the ToiletBike Neo include residual light imagery that allows the rider to write messages in the air as it is driven by, while it can play music to entertain spectators. In addition, the toilet is able to talk, with functions including fortune-telling, stock-quote-reading and weather-forecasting. This biogas fuelled and motorised toilet has been driven around Japan as part of the  rm's promotional campaign, presumably by a driver who is not easily embarrassed. 

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • New developments for milling machine manufacturers
    February 20, 2014
    The market for milling machines is highly competitive and there is an array of firms offering equipment to the global market. German company Wirtgen is the worldwide market leader and has an enormous range of models available, but other companies too are keen to grow market share, with Caterpillar and Roadtec strong in North America and BOMAG, Dynapac and Caterpillar are also pushing hard to build share in Europe for instance. Other companies too are keen to grow their shares of global sales and several of
  • Smart paver control solution provides optimum materials mix
    March 14, 2012
    VSS Macropaver reports a strong sales performance, with exports having been particularly profitable for the company, write Mike Woof. Vice president Doug Hogue said: "We're fortunate that we're dealing on a world basis to Latin America, China and Russia." Latin America, Chile, Mexico and Peru have been key markets for the firm, although the high import tariffs into Brazil have unfortunately meant that the company finds it hard to compete in this country's strong road sector against local rivals.
  • Asphalt paving review for 2019
    February 12, 2020
    A series of new asphalt pavers have been introduced in 2019
  • The new agile world of the construction equipment industry
    June 22, 2015
    while worldwide for 2015 a crystalball would be helpful, in Europe the sector has already listed specific priorities it wants to tackle, and among these are the upcoming emissions regulations (see separate story), external trade and access to foreign markets, and market surveillance.