Why The Prototypes Have To Wait On The Engine

[Rickb]

Hey Rick,
The iRoad's top speed is 40km per hour, not 40mph. Toyota lists is as 28mph.
The range is 30 miles with a charge time of 3 hours via a 110v household outlet.
It has no real-world use for me with the speed limitation.

Edit: I've seen a review that listed the top speeds @ 28mph in Europe and 37mph in Japan.

Yep, I rounded the 37mph up. There was some indication top speed may increase somewhat with a USA version. Acceleration is more key for me and electrics are quick. However, for around town, the fun of the tilting scootercycle and the range would be fine for my application. Even the autoworld test drivers that have test driven high performance said the iRoad had a blast to drive factor. It is what it is an enclosed three wheel cityscootercycle.

 

[Rickb]

even @ 100k?

The iRoad estimated MSRP is under $10K, which is still a high cost electric scooter.

 

[BlioKart]

I have seen the concept before just never the videos. Looks cool as hell but that will never be production.

 

[pistonboy]

Sign me up!,$1,000 + a "T" I'm all in!! Clear no wrinkle skin, and Asian, my kind of "girl" `
BTY there was a great (old) movie with human robots (humanoids?) -Westworld (read Disneyland), w/ Yul Brynner ,in which they get out of control. Starred Yul Brynner, and I think I saw a clip of a new show that reminded me of it

Don't forget The Stepford Wives

 

[outsydthebox]

..... I have been following the iRoad nearly as long as the Elio......

So, A huge corporation...with deep pockets..."Toyota"...has been working on this "I-Road" for nearly as long as the "upstart" Elio Motors?....... Makes me a little more understanding of the difficulties that they have overcome.

 

[Rickb]

So, A huge corporation...with deep pockets..."Toyota"...has been working on this "I-Road" for nearly as long as the "upstart" Elio Motors?....... Makes me a little more understanding of the difficulties that they have overcome.

Keep in mind that Toyota has an entire division working exclusively on the development of multiple future concept vehicles. The current three wheeler EV tilting platform has evolved from 2 previous prototypes into what is now being marketed as the iROAD as the final version production vehicle. It was interesting to watch it's evolution from a single passenger open personal mobility device to the enclosed cabin autoscooter it is today and I want one.

Toyota could bring the concept to production nearly anytime it chooses to do so when they determine it's ready and there is an adequate market. Toyota simply puts it into their production que and build it. They have no funding or manufacturing issues which is Elio Motors big Road Block. If EM had the money and manufacturing facilities we would have had our Elio's long before now.
The iRoad started out as the Toyota i-Real.

 

[satx]

The Toyota Corolla base is about $12K. I bet the iRoad would be in the $12-15K range.

The Elio's overwhelming selling point is the price, not the MPG.

 

[Ekh]

Does look like fun, but that baby has 0 star crash protection!

 

[Rickb]

I have seen the concept before just never the videos. Looks cool as hell but that will never be production.

It's nearly to production and in the 2nd Prototype build and road testing phase.

 

[Rickb]

The Toyota Corolla base is about $12K. I bet the iRoad would be in the $12-15K range.

The Elio's overwhelming selling point is the price, not the MPG.

Keep in mind the iRoad's narrow footprint like the Elio's makes for 1/2 a car width and cheaper to build.