Toyota revealed its i-ROAD concept on Wednesday, showcasing the strange little vehicle in hourly booth demonstrations at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland.
The demonstration was captured in a CNET video, and shows the concept is real and functional.
The i-ROAD “Personal Mobility Vehicle” boasts a tight turning radius, zipping and leaning around obstacles at the tiny test track at the Toyota booth. The three-wheeled i-ROAD is powered by 2 kW motors in the two large front wheels and power also is supplied by a lithium-ion battery pack.
The concept’s tight turning comes from its rear-wheel steering and its ability to tilt into turns, using other motors mounted in the front wheels. This feature, called “active camber,” allows the i-ROAD to tilt and carve as it turns, like a motorcycle. The rear wheel allows for such a tight turning radius that the i-ROAD can essentially rotate on its own axis, which means the vehicle is great for squeezing into tight, urban parking spaces. Though, given its short wheelbase and tiny width, you’d be hard pressed to find a parking spot that presents a challenge to the i-ROAD.
With its 850-mm width and tight turning, the i-ROAD resembles a motorcycle, but a fully enclosed cockpit and a steering wheel also add the safety and comfort of a car.
The Personal Mobility Vehicle has a very short range, however, so you’ll only be able to get 30 miles on a charge, meaning that you won’t be taking the i-ROAD out of the city. The short range didn’t seem to be a problem at Toyota’s tiny demonstration track at Geneva.
The i-ROAD is merely a concept, and it’s unclear whether or not Toyota will actually produce the car. But after seeing the CNET video of the thing actually leaning and carving into turns, we’d love to see Toyota take the i-ROAD into production. And while we’re at it, if Toyota is keen on making urban Personal Mobility Vehicles, it would be great to see what Google could do in automating the i-ROAD, which could truly make the vehicle a city car of the future.
