I’m always eager to get the full rundown when the Japanese give us a brand-new concept car. Because while the Italians usually give us concepts that are beautiful, and the Germans usually give us concepts that are clever, the Japanese concepts tend to be way off the beaten path. The Toyota i-TRIL that just debuted at the Geneva International Motor Show is one good example. I mean, just look at it – weird, right? It’s like some kind of futuristic transportation bubble out of a cartoon. I half expect it to talk and have feelings. And although it’s not quite sentient, this machine does offer a few unique ideas about the future of urban and suburban mobility, from the way it handles the road, to the way it’s controlled, to the interior layout and use of space.

It also looks pretty wild, with an open-vee exterior shape that gets narrower as you move towards the rear. The i-TRIL was built by Toyota Motors Europe, working in collaboration with designers at the ED2 studio in Nice, and it’s framed as a “more engaging” environmentally friendly alternative to traditional EVs, public transportation, and motorcycles.

Who would buy this thing? Toyota says the target consumer is a “sophisticated, single, 30 – 50 year old active female with two children and a vibrant lifestyle.” This imaginary customer also lives in a “small to medium sized town,” which means the i-TRIL should be ideal for quick trips and short errands.

Read on for the specifics and the weirdness.

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Why It Matters

At the heart of the Toyota i-TRIL are three basic concepts – Active Lean technology, “Relaxed Engagement,” and a one-plus-two seating arrangement.

Let’s start with Active Lean. As you might have guessed from the way this thing looks, the i-TRIL doesn’t handle like a normal car. Rather, it incorporates an active hinge between the upright body and the rear axle, which enables the cabin space to angle itself laterally into a corner. This helps it not only grip the road with more tenacity, but also offers a more engaging driving experience.

Of course, you wouldn’t be alone in thinking that this set-up would be hell for anyone who gets motion sickness, but Toyota insists that with a lean angle of 10 degrees, the car not only offers enhanced grip, but passengers are less prone to queasiness as well.

Next is the Relaxed Engagement concept, which refers to the high seating position inside, something the company says is close to what you get in a go-kart. Interestingly, you also operate the throttle and brakes with right and left “control nodes,” which are apparently somewhat similar to game controllers. A heads-up display provides vital info, while voice control is used for the majority of the infotainment inputs.

Of course, being a futuristic concept, the i-TRIL is autonomous as well. If you don’t feel like driving, the car will provide its passengers with an indication of which way to cabin is about to lean as it approaches a corner.

Finally, there’s the one-plus-two seating arrangement. Move into the cabin, and you’ll find a single chair up front, plus a rear bench big enough to seat two. The doors also use an upwardly-hinged butterfly opening mechanism for easier ingress and egress in tight spaces.

Clearly, given the car’s relatively short 200 km (124 mile) range, small turning circle, and tight cabin space, this isn’t something you’d want to take on a long trip. But as the world gets more and more crowded, concepts like the i-TRIL might eventually find their way into urban dealers.

It definitely sounds like an interesting way to get around, but I’ll have to try that Lean tech firsthand before I can sign off of this thing.

Toyota i-TRIL Concept Specs

Exterior Dimensions

Length

111 inches

Track

47 inches front, 24 inches rear

Height

57 inches

Weight

1,323 pounds

Performance

Range

200 km (124 miles)


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