There's been a bunch of press about the Toyota I-Road tilting three wheeler in the last few days.
http://www.treehugger.com/cars/toyota-i-road-3-wheeler-launching-carsharing-schemes.html
The videos all look like CGI to me. Is this thing real yet?
A fully enclosed, electric, tilting three wheeler in the style of the Piaggio MP3 or Yamaha Tricity isn't beyond the bounds of possibility. But does it actually exist?
Do I detect that they are not for sale, but will be for urban car clubs? For those that think car ownership is outdated and we should simply have a car 'on demand' - then this is a great 'starter for 10'! However, can they compete with Autolib on the streets of Paris?
One problem with this layout is lack of leg room. The front suspension takes up a lot of space.
The MP3-500cc is a realistic 95mph vehicle. Makes you think that an electric hybrid might make more sense.
Scooters like this typically have a lot of luggage room but the few electric vehicles have given a lot of this up for the battery space. As a solo, enclosed device perhaps they can make that back up with the space around the rear wheel.
The big thing I'd like to see is some serious attention paid to aerodynamics. The small frontal area should offer the potential of a very efficient device. But with only 30mph and town use, perhaps this matters less. Is there something potentially in the design space between this and an electric-assist Velomobile? 4KW should be enough for 70mph in a properly aero shape.