Toyota launches EV car-sharing pilot in Grenoble with i-ROAD and COMS
Toyota has deployed 70 compact electric vehicles and 27 charging stations in Grenoble, France, as part of a three-year car-sharing experiment with local partners.
Toyota has started a three-year electric vehicle car-sharing trial in Grenoble, France, deploying a fleet of 70 ultra-compact EVs and 27 charging stations across the city as of October 2014. The scheme, called 'Cité lib by Ha:mo', is a partnership with local authorities and charging operator Sodetrel, and is designed to test the viability of shared urban mobility using small battery-powered vehicles.
The service offers two types of vehicles: the Toyota i-ROAD, a narrow three-wheel electric commuter, and the Toyota Auto Body COMS, a compact four-wheel EV. Each model is intended for short city trips, and both can be booked using a smartphone app. At launch, 35 units of each vehicle were made available at designated locations throughout Grenoble, targeting commuters and residents who need flexible, short-range transport.
How the Grenoble EV car-sharing scheme works
Cité lib by Ha:mo allows users to pick up and drop off vehicles at multiple points around the city, rather than returning them to a single location. The 27 charging stations installed at launch are set to expand to 120 charging points for the project, plus 41 additional points for other plug-in vehicles. Sodetrel, a subsidiary of EDF, operates the charging network. The project aims to integrate with Grenoble’s public transport system, offering a last-mile solution for commuters.
Toyota's approach and future plans
Toyota has positioned the Grenoble pilot as a test case for urban EV sharing, with the possibility of expanding the scheme to other cities if successful. The company has previously invested in both battery-electric and fuel cell vehicles, but the i-ROAD and COMS are among its few pure battery-electric offerings. The project is part of a broader trend among manufacturers, including Renault, PSA, BMW and Daimler, who are experimenting with car-sharing models in response to changing urban transport habits.
- Toyota i-ROAD: Three-wheel, single-seat, tilting electric vehicle for urban use.
- Toyota Auto Body COMS: Four-wheel, single-seat compact EV designed for city trips.
- Cité lib by Ha:mo: Booking and management platform for the Grenoble car-sharing scheme.
Implications for city mobility and industry
The Grenoble trial addresses the decline in private car ownership in cities and increasing demand for flexible, low-emission transport. If the project proves popular and cost-effective, Toyota and its partners may look to replicate the model elsewhere. The trial also provides data on user behaviour, infrastructure needs and technical performance of small EVs in daily use, contributing to broader industry efforts to adapt to urban mobility trends.
The project’s outcome will help determine whether ultra-compact EVs like the i-ROAD and COMS can find a commercial role in European cities, and whether car-sharing can become a sustainable part of the urban transport mix.
