Toyota has started the first public trials of the i-Road, a new three-wheeled 'personal mobility vehicle', in Tokyo.
10 examples of the new single-seater vehicle will be taking to the streets in the Japanese capital to see how it copes with the realities of urban driving. 20 testers will be involved in the programme, including industry experts and members of the general public, which Toyota hopes will give a wide range of feedback on what the car is like to drive, how easy it is to use around town and driver satisfaction.
Measuring 2,345mm in length, 870mm in width and 1,455mm in height, the i-Road weighs just 300kg and is powered by two in-wheel electric motors, giving a combined output of 5.4bhp. Top speed is 37mph and Toyota claims the car's lithium-ion battery is good for a range of 30 miles when driven at a constant speed of 18.6mph.
The i-Road is designed to lean into bends, which Toyota claims gives it the agility of a motorbike with the stability of a car. A special ECU uses steering angle, gyro-sensors and speed information to calculate the exact amount of lean needed to counteract the centrifugal force of cornering.
Toyota originally revealed the i-Road at last year's Geneva Motor Show; however, this is the first time it has been used on the roads. The i-Road will be coming to Europe later this year as part of a vehicle sharing programme in the French city of Grenoble.
There's no news yet on whether the i-Road will be coming to the UK.
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