Toyota has revealed its new i-ROAD Concept, a “Personal Mobility Vehicle which could blur the lines between cars and motorcycles" (not to mention use of upper and lower case in a title).
The i-ROAD will debut at the Geneva Motor Show on Wednesday, but Toyota has already released a video and photos of the strange vehicle.
The weird little motorcycle-car-pod-thing is only 850 millimeters wide, making it very easy to park. Toyota claims in a press release announcing the i-ROAD that the vehicle only needs one half to three quarters of a normal parking space. The vehicle would be perfect for short urban trips or for commuters driving a short distance to a train station.
The i-ROAD has only three wheels, and turns by leaning. When turning, the two large front wheels move up or down to accommodate the turn. As the press release, published by AutoBlog, states, the “newly developed, automatic active-lean system provides a great response and an exhilarating driving experience.” But unlike other lean-to-turn vehicles, also known as motorcycles, the i-ROAD is covered and fully enclosed, meaning the driver is protected from rain, sleet, snow or apocalyptic swarms of locusts.
Toyota also makes the claim that the i-ROAD “can be driven smoothly along roadsides, leaving road lanes open for other traffic.” We’re a little unsure about that, as the video clearly shows the little motorcycle pod thing gracefully carving over cobblestone streets in some European city, clearly taking up more road space than just the “roadsides.”
The pod vehicle is fully electric too, with a lithium-ion battery that powers two 2kW motors located in the front wheels. The i-ROAD’s planned existence in cities is perfect (or rather, required) for its tiny range. With a charge that will only take you 30 miles, you probably won’t be taking any road trips in the i-ROAD. However, Toyota claims that the vehicle can be fully recharged in three hours, using a “conventional power supply.”
(Edited by Lois Heyman)
