The i-REAL Personal Mobility Vehicle

2011-39-7242

05/17/2011

Event
1st International Electric Vehicle Technology Conference
Authors Abstract
Content
The need for small personal mobility vehicles is growing as urbanization, the aging of society, traffic congestion, and parking become major issues, particularly in inner-city areas. The aging of society also means that more short trips within communities will be made. The i-REAL personal mobility vehicle is a next-generation single-passenger electric vehicle that enables the driver to move around town using a smaller amount of energy. This compact EV has three wheels: two front wheels driven by in-wheel motors and one rear wheel. According to the driver's needs, the i-REAL switches driving modes by changing its wheelbase. It can go slowly, allowing the driver to meet the eyes of passers-by when driving in parks, on sidewalks, or inside shopping malls. When on the road, it can lower its height and drive quickly like a bicycle or motorcycle. The body of the i-REAL leans automatically based on the speed and the turn angle to maintain the balance of the vehicle for any driver. For safety, the i-REAL detects obstructions and people ahead by radar and slows down automatically. In addition, areas likely to be impacted in collisions are made of softer materials. The i-REAL also has built-in contact sensors that stop the vehicle automatically if a collision occurs. Demonstration tests have been held at the Chubu International Airport from June 2009 toward practical use of the i-REAL in the future.
Meta TagsDetails
DOI
https://doi.org/10.4271/2011-39-7242
Pages
5
Citation
Akihiro, Y., Makoto, M., and Takeo, M., "The i-REAL Personal Mobility Vehicle," SAE Technical Paper 2011-39-7242, 2011, https://doi.org/10.4271/2011-39-7242.
Additional Details
Publisher
Published
May 17, 2011
Product Code
2011-39-7242
Content Type
Technical Paper
Language
English