14 DAY TRIAL // Earlier today, Japanese automotive manufacturer Toyota went public with the news that it was getting ready to unleash its three-wheeled i-Road electric vehicle in the Greater Tokyo Area, i.e. a large metropolitan area in Japan.
Before being allowed to run free across this metropolitan area, the vehicle was tested in the city of Toyota, in the country's Aichi Prefecture, as part of Ha:mo, i.e. an optimized urban transport system intended to enhance mobility by means of technology and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.
On its website, the Japanese automotive manufacturer explains that the vehicle is to be allowed to travel up and down the Greater Tokyo Area in order for specialists to be able to determine how well it can cope with traffic conditions in urban areas.
The company goes on to detail that, should things go according to plan, these consumer trials in the Greater Tokyo Area will begin this coming March 24, and last until the beginning of this year's June.
“Toyota Motor Corporation announces the start of consumer trials of the “i-Road” personal mobility vehicle in the Greater Tokyo Area,” Toyota writes on its website.
“The limited trials, which aim to gauge the effectiveness of the electric vehicle in everyday situations in urban areas, will run from March 24 through early June,” it further details.
As part of these consumer trials, i-Road EVs are to be offered to a total of 20 individuals, some of whom are to be regular members of the local community, and some of whom will be trend and industry experts.
The folks entrusted with the three-wheelers and asked to take them out for a spin will be required to provide feedback concerning user satisfaction, ease-of-use, maneuverability, and driving feel.
The automotive manufacturer expects that information obtained in this manner will help it make the i-Road EV more appealing to the general public, something that will come especially in handy if the company is to fulfill its dream of making this eco-friendly ride available by means of car-sharing stations.
In case anyone was wondering, Toyota's i-Road EV weighs some 300 kilograms (roughly 661 pounds), and measures less than 90 centimeters (approximately 35.5 inches) in width.
It can cover up to 30 miles (about 48 kilometers) on a single charge, and, once it runs out of power, all one needs to do to get it back online is keep it connected to a conventional domestic power supply for about three hours.