After converting several of its JPN Taxi to serve mildly ill COVID-19 patients in Japan, Toyota is now at the deep end with specially converted Hiace units that can transport seriously ill patients.

Because this Hiace conversion is the first time Toyota’s done a version to transport seriously ill patients, the Japanese carmaker sought out medical facilities to manufacture a vehicle to fit their requirements.

This special Hiace is an “airborne droplet circulation control vehicle.” This means that there’s an interior barrier between the forward and rearward compartment. In addition, an exhaust fan continuously expels air from the rearward compartment out of the vehicle, helping to prevent the air in the rearward compartment from circulating to the forward compartment.

With a desire to provide vehicles that can at least play a small role in combatting COVID-19, Toyota, while listening to the needs of those on the frontlines of the medical sector, has been considering the best ways it can help.

The transport vehicle for seriously ill COVID-19 patients provided today joins 11 transport vehicles for mildly infected patients already provided by the Toyota Group to such entities as medical facilities and local governments.