Three wheelers are not so rare in the automotive industry. Of course, under which the with two wheels in front and one rear clearly apply as more tilt-proof. Drives one the rear, one saves the differential gear. But really rarely is a vehicle where the rear wheels are steered. Why the idea just was created at Toyota? Perhaps because the also produce forklifts, even those with only one wheel rear. And at forklifts there is always the steering.
And something else one may took over from the forklifts, the 48V system. This has just priority in the motor vehicle sector, because therewith one is far enough from the dangerous 60V limit. Here then may work every automotive technician also without high-voltage training. However, the i-Road also contains many unique features compared to the forklift. The is operated mostly still with power from lead acid batteries for cost reasons. The weight is abundant unimportant here, the costs are not.
And the lead acid batteries are easily replaceable. At the i-Road the with lithium-ion are smaller, lighter and much more expensive and will charged e.g. at a household socket after a maximum of 50 kilometres. Quite different is also the chassis, because the front wheels separately move up and down computer controlled and thus initiate the tendency to tilt, with which the vehicle leans into the curve. The spring comfort shall not be so special. Though, the maximum speed is anyway only aimed on city traffic.
As soon as you sit once, you feel more like in a car than on a motorcycle. Rear is still a second seat where the legs, however, must be placed next to the front seat. So one is safe from rainfall, but you must remember that the roof tilts to the inner curve side and it must be available appropriate space there. Caution is advisable in any case, because the crush-collapsible zone is naturally limited. Nevertheless, it might be a big hit.
It is just not only a vehicle, but it's about a telematics concept. The i-Road occupies less than half the width of a normal car and ought to be integrated in a sharing system with smartphone activation. It can then be parked at home but also in public spaces and charged. Virtually anyone could order and use it there. Take a look at the videos, how to cope with it in the narrowest of spaces. 10/14