Toyota i-Road headed for limited production

Toyota has confirmed the unique Toyota i-Road concept it presented at last March’s Geneva Motor Show will enter limited production in Japan.

Billed as an “optimized urban transport vehicle,” the i-Road will be built exclusively to participate in a vehicle sharing program called Ha:Mo, meaning that consumers will not be able to order one for private use.

Combining the best attributes of a car and a motorcycle, the i-Road rides on a three-wheeled architecture that stretches just 33.5 inches long.  Unlike a motorcycle, it provides a fully enclosed cabin for up to two occupants, eliminating the need for helmets.

Toyota’s Active Lean technology uses an actuator and gearing mounted just above the front wheels to give the i-Road a motorcycle-like ride in corners and keep the body level on uneven surfaces.

The i-Road is powered by a pair of two-kilowatt electric motors installed in each front wheel.  Power comes from a lithium-ion battery pack that gives the three-wheeler a total range of about 30 miles.  The i-Road can be fully recharged using a regular household outlet in about three hours.

Toyota has not announced whether or not it is considering adding the i-Road to its catalog as a regular-production model.  If given the green light, the vehicle would go head-to-head against the battery-powered Renault Twizy in Europe.