The Toyota i-Real: Concept Vehicle For Whom?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia 
on 10.11.07
Per the Wall Street journal, Toyota has one of the "...eco-friendly concept cars to go on display at this year's Tokyo Motor Show, running from Oct. 26 to Nov. 11...The concept cars, though years away from the market, show how Japan's top auto makers are stretching their research and development to create models for the so-called green-car market that aren't just good for the environment but also make drivers feel good."
"Toyota Motor Corp...will unveil a one-seat electric vehicle called the i-REAL. Shaped like a sleek stroller with two wheels in front and one at the back, it can run on both sidewalks and streets and can move at higher speeds when the seat reclines."
ZER Customs reports that the design:- "Ensures safe handling—both to the driver and those around the vehicle—by employing perimeter monitoring sensors to detect when a collision with a person or object is imminent and alerts the driver by emitting a noise and vibrating; at the same time, alerts people around it of its movements through the pleasant use of light and sound."
This is not to be confused with a wheel chair, a wigged-out stroller, or one of those 3-wheel scooters that elderly people rent in grocery stores. Stop. Of course it will be confused with them! i-Real-ing on the sidewalk will be called a security threat by Department of Homeland Security too: not for any rational reason. It's their job.
Via::Wall Street Journal, Eco-Friendly Hybrids Conceptualize Future At Tokyo Motor Show, Image credit::SciFi Blog
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Sure looks like a futuristic wheelchair to me (despite their comments to the opposite!), though that ZER Customs website does mention in lowers down for higher speeds.
Still, this barely seems green to me. Does the world really need millions of these plastic things rolling around? 1 motor per person (at least with cars, you can somewhat share....ie. 1 motor per 4 people, or per many people in a bus). This just centralizes around one person, taking more resources. Imagine if everyone had their own personalized bathroom, spa, car, plane, etc. Dunno....I think it's the exactly wrong direction to be green [granted, it is smaller than a car, obviously taking less resources...but it can't be shared].
I think I'd rather have an electric scooter...
No cup holders?
it looks like another death vehical what happens if someone sideswipes you then where do you go on the pavement at 40+ miles an hr
Major cities need to be cleared out of all automobile traffic (which most commonly have one person for each hulking car) and implement personal transportation vehicles.... only. Such as the Segway. The sooner this is done, the better.The streets would need to be the same height as the sidewalks.... making for a plaza-like environment. Peeps can walk around if they want... or... ride. Bikes, though... should not be permitted. Too dangerous to walkers.
LOL man if i saw someone rideing this id strait out jack them and laugh at their gay adult stroller caus no matter what you say thats exactly what that is save the world sum time and call toyota and say REJECTED!
i am so down for one of those... where can i buy????