輕松英語閱讀：豐田新款能源車

One of the hottest cars at this year’s Geneva Motor Show is not a car. In fact, Toyota’s i-ROAD concept vehicle could create a whole new category of vehicle.

Toyota wanted to create a vehicle with the usability of a motorbike, but safer and more comfortable. The i-Road achieves both. With its compact design, it is easy to maneuver through congested streets and you will have no problem finding a parking space. As the i-Road is completely enclosed, you don’t have to worry about the weather like you do with a motorcycle. It also means you don’t have to wear a helmet.

The i-ROAD is a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) powered by two 2kW motors mounted in the front wheels. With its lithium-ion battery it has a range of 50 kilometers on a single charge from a regular household outlet.

Up until now, hybrid motorbike-cars have not been very popular with consumers. Personally, I think most of them look like something for delivering pizzas and I could never imagine myself driving one. But the i-ROAD has a cool factor that the others lack.

According to U.S. government statistics, over three quarters of Americans are driving alone in their cars that are made for four or more passengers. That’s a lot of wasted space, energy and resources. Hopefully, new kinds of vehicles like the i-ROAD can help bring more efficiency to our transportation system.

I know I’m excited about the i-ROAD. How about you?