Meet the i-ROAD — the Motorcycle, Scooter, Trike, Electric Car Mashup you’re going to want to ride. (But, you can’t.)
Q: What do you get when you take the convenience of a scooter, add in the thrill and cornering ability of a motorcycle, slap on a third wheel for trike-like stability, wrap the whole thing in a protective car-like cover and then power it with an eco-friendly electric motor?
A: The Toyota i-ROAD, the most fun-to-drive vehicle you may never actually get the opportunity to experience — unless you live in Japan.
Designed as part of Toyota’s Ha:Mo (short for “Harmonious Mobility”) ride-share program in Asia, the i-ROAD’s top speed of about 30 mph and driving range of roughly 30 miles is meant to efficiently take you for quick rides over short distances, like the final mile or so from the train station to your office. That’s perfect for the drive-and-drop duty it’s been assigned.
On a recent trip to Japan, I got the chance to experience the i-ROAD up close and personal. And before you say, “I’d never be caught dead in that wacky, three-wheeled hamster-mobile,” let me tell you that one ride in the thing and your attitude will change faster than the Kardashians change husbands.
This thing is flat-out fun to drive – more fun than it should be and maybe more fun than you’d want it to be, considering how it looks. But the closest way to describe it is that it’s like sitting in a giant skateboard.
Toyota’s Active Lean Technology raises and lowers the front wheels to lean the i-ROAD into turns giving it a motorcycle feel, while the single rear wheel steering lets you whip around corners and carve through tight turns like you were on a pivot. Sure, 30mph isn’t all that fast, but high speed isn’t always necessary for thrills.
There’s a bit of room in back for a couple of bags and possibly another passenger if a second seat is installed. Since you’re buckled in and encased in a cocoon, there’s no need for a helmet or missing a ride due to rain.
Now the bad news: According to our friends at Toyota, to their knowledge “there are no firm plans for production” – especially not in the US where it runs into classification problems: Is it a motorcycle, requiring a special license? Is it a car, which means it would need to meet certain safety specs, all but killing the current design and all of the fun?
So, until that gets settled, the chances of piloting an i-ROAD around our local twists on a quick run for beer and pretzels are slim to none. And, believe me, I begged.
Personally, I blame the lawyers.
