PMV users require a vehicle that is more comfortable, more weatherproof and safer than a two-wheeler, yet still offers the benefits of low running costs, and the compact dimensions (most notably width) to facilitate the easy parking and urban manoeuvrability associated with two-wheelers such as scooters and motorcycles.
2,350 mm long, 1,445 mm height and with a wheelbase of 1,700 mm, the ultra-compact, three-wheeled TOYOTA i-ROAD’s key dimension is a width of only 850 mm, about the same as that of a conventional two-wheeler. This not only equips the TOYOTA i-ROAD with the latter’s ability to manoeuvre freely through even the most congested traffic, but also makes it possible to park four of the new Toyota PMVs in a single car parking bay.
The TOYOTA i-ROAD’s zero-emission, all-electric powertrain features a lithium-ion battery providing power to a pair of 2 kW electric motors mounted within the front wheels. Combining brisk acceleration with near-silent running, the new Toyota PMV has a range of some 50 km[1], after which it may be fully recharged from a conventional household power outlet in just three hours.
Key to the higher levels of stability, safety, comfort and enjoyment associated with the TOYOTA i-ROAD driving experience is Toyota’s new, entirely intuitive ‘Active Lean’ technology.
The system features a lean actuator motor and gearing mounted above the front suspension member, linked via a yoke to the right and left front wheels. An ECU calculates the required lean based on steering angle, gyro-sensor and vehicle speed information. And the system automatically moves the wheels up and down in opposite directions, applying lean angle to counteract the centrifugal force of cornering.
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Post time: Jun-12-2017