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Will the Toyota iRoad be available to drivers in Ontario Canada

Of the latest vehicles recently revealed by Toyota during auto show season, the Toyota i-Road has taken things to a, well, shall we say, tipping point? Drivers took note of the 3-wheeled vehicle at the Toronto Auto Show, and have not been able to stop talking about it since. The vehicle is great for city driving with its small stature and flexible demeanor. With all of the excitement about its reveal, we couldn’t help question, will the Toyota iRoad be available to drivers in Ontario Canada?

The answer is a little bit mixed, unfortunately, but, we can’t help but cross our fingers. As of right now, there are no plans to bring the vehicle to North America. Currently, the vehicle is on trial in central Tokyo, where the vehicle will excel because of its flexibility and ease of use. The i-Road is an ultra, ultra-compact electric vehicle that is extremely efficient and travels up to 60 km/hour. The engine is a lithium-ion battery and is 2,345 mm long, 870 mm wide and 1,455 mm tall.

Drivers in Tokyo have the opportunity to test out the vehicle between April 10 and Sept. 30 through a rideshare program that will charge about $3.50 every 15 minutes with a max checkout time of 2.5 hours. There are 5 vehicles that will be shared.

Electric vehicles are becoming more and more popular as drivers look for alternative options as fuel prices continue to climb again and the race for alternative fossil fuels gets more and more intense. The iRoad can surprisingly seat two people, but not side by side. The passengers sit in tandem and is a little more than half the width of a Smart Car.

Even though the iRoad is only meant for two, it is a fun way for drivers and passengers to stay out of any unpleasant weather experiences, but still have somewhat of a similar experience of riding a motorcycle. A helmet is not necessary to wear with the iRoad because the vehicle is completely enclosed and features Active Lean technology, which consists of an internal computer that manages the degree to which each front vehicle leans upon turning and works to keep the vehicle steady. Drivers steer the iRoad with a steering wheel and not handlebars. It has a front-wheel drivetrain and no power goes to the back wheel and the lithium-ion battery offers a 30-mile range.

Watch for more about the Toyota iRoad, and, perhaps if it does well enough in Japan we may see it here in North America!