The single seat mini EV might limit its tourist car sharing use, unless you travel alone.
Toyota will start a trial project next year on Okinawa to evaluate the viability of tourist car sharing. The service will operate from January through the end of the year on the island’s Motobu Peninsula, and will be based around Ha:mo, the local transport system developed by Toyota.
Ha:mo optimizes the combined use of personal vehicles, public transportation and taxis. Toyota has been conducting field tests in Toyota City since October 2012, and is currently expanding that project using 100 COMS vehicles within a vehicle management system that connects users with vehicles and parking stations.
Car sharing programs during 2014 were offered on five continents, in more than 30 countries, in hundreds of cities, and is expected to experience continued growth in its current markets as well as expansion into new markets. Tourist car sharing could open a vast new market. (Global Car Sharing Services Revenue $6.5 Billion in 2024)
Many of Okinawa’s most popular tourist attractions are located along the Motobu Peninsula, including the Churaumi Aquarium, Nakijin Castle Ruins and Kouri Island, so the number of tourists visiting these sites is large.
However, the percentage of tourists actually staying in those areas is lower than in surrounding areas. Development of the local economy through tourism is therefore a pressing issue right now, and Toyota believes that one possible solution could involve car-sharing services that enable freedom of movement with minimal environmental impact.
Toyota’s vehicle of choice will be the so-called COMS, an ultra-compact electric vehicle manufactured by Toyota Auto Body. There will be 30 units stationed at hotels and tourist sites.
Each COMS vehicle will be equipped with a tablet running a newly developed telematics app, which recommends tourist itineraries linking local points of interest. The app provides route directions and information on each tourism spot, offering courses such as a four-hour exploration tour of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Nakijin Castle Ruins and nearby traditional villages.
