Toyota sees a market for “personal mobility vehicles.” We’ve had them for decades: They’re called “mo-tor-cyc-les.” But for the two-wheel-averse, Toyota offers up the i-ROAD.
It’s a reverse trike, similar to the Can-Am Spyder, but features a fully enclosed cockpit with seating for two and a footprint that Toyota claims is about the same size as a traditional scooter.
A pair of 2 kW (about 3 hp) motors drive the front wheels, enabling a top speed of 28 mph, while a lithium-ion battery allows the driver to motor on for 30 miles and charge up on a standard power outlet in three hours.
But it’s the Active Lean technology that’s most notable.
Based on speed, gyroscope angle and amount steering input, the i-ROAD’s onboard computer calculates the exact amount of lean required to make a turn thanks to an actuator mounted on both sides of the front suspension. Turn into a left-hand bend and the right wheel pushes down while the left suspension compresses. Additionally, the system is tuned to compensate for rough road surfaces, supposedly making straight-line driving more comfortable in spite of the i-ROAD’s minuscule wheelbase.
But for now, the i-ROAD is strictly a concept, something Toyota envisions could be used in dense urban areas in the next decade. Although their marketing department might want to come up with a better name. Apple’s lawyers on line one….
