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Toyota supplies 70 ultra-compact electric vehicles for French urban mobility project.

The three-year Cité lib by Ha:Mo trial scheme, to be launched in Grenoble, France, will see three-wheel Toyota i-Road and COMS four-wheel electric vehicles available for public car sharing on local journeys.

The chic and colourful EVs are set to prove how clean and easy urban motoring can be.

From October 1, anyone 18 or older who holds a valid driving licence can register with Cite Lib to gain access to the Toyota electric vehicles.

Once subscribed to the service, they can download an application on their smartphone, tablet or computer to see the real-time location of vehicles that are charged and ready to use.

People will be able to pick up their car and drop it off at a different location – any of 27 charging stations in the greater Grenoble area – rather than having to make a round-trip.

When the vehicle is dropped off, it is plugged into the station to be recharged and ready for the next customer.

Both Toyota vehicles have been developed as user-friendly transport around town. The i-ROAD is particularly innovative, using a clever Active Lean technology that steers in a similar way to the movements of a skier. Slightly larger than a motorbike or scooter, it has a full canopy that protects the driver from the elements and gives the kind of secure feeling and comfort of a car.

The Cité lib by Ha:Mo project is also supported by the local authorities in Grenoble, the French power supplier EDF, SODETREL, an EDF subsidiary that installs, manages and maintains electric charging points, and well-established local car-share operator Cité lib.