Toyota’s transparent sphere vehicle takes vehicle design into the realm of fantasy with a fully transparent, drivable sphere. Engineered by the Toyota Engineering Society, the project riffs on a hamster-wheel concept: an inner cart rides along internal rails, causing the outer sphere to roll around it. Crafted from polished acrylic panels pieced together into a crystal-clear shell, the two-meter-diameter orb offers both visibility and whimsy.

Inside, the cart holds the battery, motor, and controls, including a joystick that enables manual or autonomous operation. It also uses weight shifting to keep passengers level during motion. Developed under the theme “What’s this? It’s amazing!” the sphere can carry two people and reach speeds of up to ten kilometers per hour. Unveiled at Toyota City’s Waku-Waku World festival, the prototype functioned more as an engineering spectacle than practical transport, celebrating craftsmanship and imagination over utility.

Image Credit: Toyota Engineering Society