Three wheeled cars
Encyclopedia
A three wheeled car, also known as a tricar or tri-car, is a powered vehicle, legally classed as either an automobile
or motorcycle
, that has one wheel
in the front and two at the rear, or two in the front and one in the rear. Due to its handling superiority, an increasingly popular form is the front-steering "tadpole" or "reverse trike" sometimes with front drive but usually with rear drive. A variant on the 'one at the front' layout was the Scott Sociable
, which resembled a four-wheeler with a front wheel missing
developed a number of three-wheeled models. One of these, the Benz Patent Motorwagen
, is widely regarded as the first purpose-built automobile. It was built in 1885.
In 1896, John Henry Knight showed a tri-car at The Great Exhibition
.
In 1897, Edward Butler (inventor)
made the Butler Petrol Cycle, another three-wheeled car.
A Conti 6 hp
Tri-car competed in (but did not complete) a 1907 Peking-to-Paris
race sponsored by a French newspaper, Le Matin
.
, and that it readily enables small lightweight motorcycle powerplant and rear wheel to be used. This approach was used by Messerschmitt kr200 and by the BMW Isetta
. Alternatively, a more conventional front-engine, front wheel drive layout as is common in four-wheeled cars can be used, with subsequent advantages for transversal stability (further front location of CG) and traction (two driven wheels instead of one).
For the lowest wind resistance (which increases fuel efficiency
), a teardrop shape is desirable. A tear drop is wide and round at the front, tapering at the back. The three wheel configuration allows the two front wheels to create the wide round surface of the vehicle. The single rear wheel allows the vehicle to taper at the back. This approach is used by the Aptera 2 Series
. It is also used by Myers Motors
for both its single passenger NmG and upcoming 2-passenger Duo.
- the car will tip over in a turn before it will slide, unless the centre of mass is much closer to the ground or the wheelbase is much wider than a similar four wheel vehicle. Electric three-wheelers often lower the center of gravity by placing the heavy battery pack at the base of the vehicle.
s so that they lean while cornering like a motorcyclist would do. The tilt may be controlled manually or by computer.
Two Front Wheels models :
Two Rear Wheels models :
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines and regulates three-wheeled vehicles as motorcycle
s.
Licensing
requirements vary on a state-by-state basis. In other jurisdictions, such as British Columbia
, Canada
, and Connecticut, a three-wheeled vehicle with an enclosed passenger compartment or partially enclosed seat is considered an automobile.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
or motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
, that has one wheel
Wheel
A wheel is a device that allows heavy objects to be moved easily through rotating on an axle through its center, facilitating movement or transportation while supporting a load, or performing labor in machines. Common examples found in transport applications. A wheel, together with an axle,...
in the front and two at the rear, or two in the front and one in the rear. Due to its handling superiority, an increasingly popular form is the front-steering "tadpole" or "reverse trike" sometimes with front drive but usually with rear drive. A variant on the 'one at the front' layout was the Scott Sociable
Scott Sociable
The Scott Sociable was an English automobile manufactured from 1921 to 1925 by the Scott Autocar Company of Bradford, Yorkshire an offshoot of the Scott Motorcycle Company.During World War I Alfred Angas Scott had made sidecar machine gun carriers...
, which resembled a four-wheeler with a front wheel missing
History
Early car pioneer Karl BenzKarl Benz
Karl Friedrich Benz, was a German engine designer and car engineer, generally regarded as the inventor of the gasoline-powered car, and together with Bertha Benz pioneering founder of the automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz...
developed a number of three-wheeled models. One of these, the Benz Patent Motorwagen
Benz Patent Motorwagen
The Benz Patent-Motorwagen , built in 1886, is widely regarded as the first automobile, that is, a vehicle designed to be propelled by a motor...
, is widely regarded as the first purpose-built automobile. It was built in 1885.
In 1896, John Henry Knight showed a tri-car at The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations or The Great Exhibition, sometimes referred to as the Crystal Palace Exhibition in reference to the temporary structure in which it was held, was an international exhibition that took place in Hyde Park, London, from 1 May to 15 October...
.
In 1897, Edward Butler (inventor)
Edward Butler (inventor)
Edward Butler was an English inventor who produced an early three-wheeled automobile, the Butler Petrol Cycle, which is accepted by many as the first British car....
made the Butler Petrol Cycle, another three-wheeled car.
A Conti 6 hp
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
Tri-car competed in (but did not complete) a 1907 Peking-to-Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
race sponsored by a French newspaper, Le Matin
Le Matin
Le Matin is a daily newspaper published by Edipresse in Lausanne, Switzerland. The French language tabloid has a circulation of 69,350 and a readership of 331,000.The Sunday edition Le Matin dimanche has a circulation of 207,945....
.
Two front
A configuration of two wheels in the front and one wheel at the back presents two advantages : it has improved aerodynamicsAerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
, and that it readily enables small lightweight motorcycle powerplant and rear wheel to be used. This approach was used by Messerschmitt kr200 and by the BMW Isetta
Isetta
The Isetta is an Italian-designed microcar built in a number of different countries, including Spain, Belgium, France, Brazil, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Produced in the post-World War II years, a time when cheap short-distance transportation was most needed, it became one of the most...
. Alternatively, a more conventional front-engine, front wheel drive layout as is common in four-wheeled cars can be used, with subsequent advantages for transversal stability (further front location of CG) and traction (two driven wheels instead of one).
For the lowest wind resistance (which increases fuel efficiency
Fuel efficiency
Fuel efficiency is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the efficiency of a process that converts chemical potential energy contained in a carrier fuel into kinetic energy or work. Overall fuel efficiency may vary per device, which in turn may vary per application, and this spectrum of variance is...
), a teardrop shape is desirable. A tear drop is wide and round at the front, tapering at the back. The three wheel configuration allows the two front wheels to create the wide round surface of the vehicle. The single rear wheel allows the vehicle to taper at the back. This approach is used by the Aptera 2 Series
Aptera 2 Series
The Aptera 2 Series is an upcoming high-efficiency passenger three-wheeled automobile produced by Aptera Motors. The California-based company opened a pre-ordering process for residents of California, but stopped taking deposits in July 2011, and on August 12, 2011, Aptera announced it will return...
. It is also used by Myers Motors
Myers Motors
Myers Motors is a small automobile company operating in Tallmadge, Ohio. Their vehicle, the Myers Motors NmG is a single-passenger, three-wheeled, battery electric vehicle designed specifically for commuting and city driving. It was initially produced by Corbin Motors as the Sparrow and now by...
for both its single passenger NmG and upcoming 2-passenger Duo.
Two rear
Having one wheel in front and two in the rear for power reduces the cost of the steering mechanism, but greatly decreases lateral stability when cornering while braking.Lateral stability
The disadvantage of a three wheel configuration is lateral instabilityInstability
In numerous fields of study, the component of instability within a system is generally characterized by some of the outputs or internal states growing without bounds...
- the car will tip over in a turn before it will slide, unless the centre of mass is much closer to the ground or the wheelbase is much wider than a similar four wheel vehicle. Electric three-wheelers often lower the center of gravity by placing the heavy battery pack at the base of the vehicle.
Tilting option
To improve stability some three wheelers are designed as tilting three wheelerTilting three wheeler
A tilting three wheeler is a three wheeled vehicle whose body and or wheels tilt in the direction of the turn. Such vehicles can corner safely even with a narrow track.-Wheel configurations:...
s so that they lean while cornering like a motorcyclist would do. The tilt may be controlled manually or by computer.
Examples
For a more complete list, see :Category:Three-wheeled motor vehicles.Two Front Wheels models :
| Name | Country | Years manufactured | Wheel configuration | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Léon Bollée Léon Bollée Léon Bollée was a French automobile manufacturer and inventor.-Life:Bollée's family were well known bellfounders and his father, Amédée Bollée , was the major pioneer in the automobile industry who produced several steam cars... Voiturette |
France | 1895-? | 2 front | |
| Egg Egg (car) Egg or Egg & Egli was a Swiss car make in business from 1896 to 1919. It was one of the more long-lived early Swiss car makes. It appeared at numerous auto shows and competed in France's annual smash-up derby.- History :... |
Switzerland | 1896-99 | ||
| Advance Advance (automobile) The Advance was an English tricar producing 6 hp offered from 1902 to 1912 by a Northampton motorcycle manufacturer.... 6 hp air-cooled Tri Car and 9 hp water-cooled Tri Car |
England | 1902-12 | 2 front | |
| Humber Tricar | England | 1904 | 2 front | |
| Riley Olympia Tricar | England | 1904 | 2 front | |
| Lagonda Lagonda Lagonda is a British luxury car marque, founded as a company in 1906 in Staines, Middlesex by a former opera singer from Ohio, but of Scottish ancestry, named Wilbur Gunn . He named the company after a river near the town of his birth, Springfield, Ohio, United States... Tricar |
England | 1904-07 | 2 front | total production: 69 cars |
| Anglian Anglian automobile The Anglian was an English tricar manufactured in Beccles, Suffolk from 1905 to 1907. The automobiles featured either a 3½ hp single-cylinder De Dion engine or 5 hp "twin coupled" power units.... |
England | 1905-07 | ||
| Armadale Armadale (automobile) The Armadale was an English automobile manufactured from 1906 to 1907 by Armadale Motors Ltd, Northwood, Middlesex, then Northwood Motor & Engineering Works, also of Northwood.... |
England | 1906-07 | ||
| Morgan Morgan Motor Company The Morgan Motor Company is a British motor car manufacturer. The company was founded in 1910 by Harry Frederick Stanley Morgan, generally known as "HFS" and was run by him until he died, aged 77, in 1959. Peter Morgan, son of H.F.S., ran the company until a few years before his death in 2003... V-Twin and F-Series |
England | 1911-39, 1932-52 | 2 front | Morgan Super Sports 2-Seater 1937 |
| American Tri-Car American Tri-Car The American Tri-Car was made by the Tri-Car Co of America, Denver, Colorado, United States in 1912. It was a three-wheeler, with the solitary rear wheel being both the drive wheel and the sole braked wheel. It was powered by a 13 hp, air-cooled 2-cylinder engine and used a planetary... |
United States | 1912 | ||
| Birmingham Small Arms Company Birmingham Small Arms Company This article is not about Gamo subsidiary BSA Guns Limited of Armoury Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B11 2PP or BSA Company or its successors.... Three Wheeler |
England | 1929-36 | 2 front | 1100cc engine; image and description |
| Zaschka Engelbert Zaschka Engelbert Zaschka was a German chief engineer, chief designer and inventor. Zaschka became one of the first German helicopter pioneers. He is a striking representative of the Rotationsflugzeug... |
Germany | 1929 | 2 front | Folding three wheeler: Zaschka Three-wheeler 1929 |
| Dymaxion car Dymaxion car thumb|The Dymaxion car designed by inventor–architect [[Buckminster Fuller]].The Dymaxion car was a concept car designed by U.S. inventor and architect Buckminster Fuller in 1933. The word Dymaxion is a brand name that Fuller gave to several of his inventions, to emphasize that he considered them... |
United States | 1933 | 2 front | Concept car designed by Buckminster Fuller Buckminster Fuller Richard Buckminster “Bucky” Fuller was an American systems theorist, author, designer, inventor, futurist and second president of Mensa International, the high IQ society.... |
| Mathis VEL 333 | France | 1946 | 2 front | 3 seats, flat-twin front engine, aluminium body, production less than 10 units |
| Velorex Velorex Velorex was a manufacturing cooperative in Solnice, Czechoslovakia. Notable products included a small three wheeled car first named Oskar, later Velorex , and the Type 562 sidecar... Oskar and other models |
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992... |
1951-71 | 2 front | Originally with leather bodies |
| Iso Isetta Isetta The Isetta is an Italian-designed microcar built in a number of different countries, including Spain, Belgium, France, Brazil, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Produced in the post-World War II years, a time when cheap short-distance transportation was most needed, it became one of the most... |
Italy | 1953 | 2 front | |
| Messerschmitt KR175 Messerschmitt KR175 The Messerschmitt KR175 bubble car was the first vehicle built by Messerschmitt under its 1952 agreement with Fritz Fend. In concept, although not in actual design, it was an extended version of the Fend Flitzer invalid carriage... |
Germany | 1953-55 | 2 front | |
| Messerschmitt KR200 Messerschmitt KR200 The Messerschmitt KR200, or Kabinenroller , was a three-wheeled bubble car designed by the aircraft engineer Fritz Fend and produced in the factory of the German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt from 1955 to 1964.-History:... |
Germany | 1955-64 | 2 front | |
| Peel P50 Peel P50 The Peel P50 is a three-wheeled microcar originally manufactured in 1962 and 1965) by the Peel Engineering Company on the Isle of Man. It retailed for £199 when new , and currently holds the record for the smallest automobile to go into production... |
Isle of Man Isle of Man The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is... |
1963-64 | 2 front | Smallest production car ever built. |
| HMV Freeway HMV Freeway The H-M-Vehicles Free-Way was a three wheel microcar manufactured in Burnsville, Minnesota, from 1979 to 1982. These small commuter cars had a single seat and were powered by a 12 or 16 horsepower gasoline engine or a 4 hp electric motor. A diesel engine was offered, but none were ordered with... |
United States | 1979-82 | 2 front | |
| Campagna T-Rex T-Rex (automobile) Campagna T-Rex is a two-seat, three-wheeled cyclecar created by Campagna Corporation located in Quebec, Canada. It has a 1.4 L, straight-four engine. Although classified as a motorcycle, the interior can accommodate the driver and passenger seated side-by-side, with adjustable seat backs,... |
Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
1996-present | 2 front | Most likely the fastest (157 mph) most expensive ($50k MSRP) production 3-wheeler |
| Malone Car Company Skunk SS | United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
1999-present | 2 front | High power internal combustion and pure electric versions released November 2010 http://www.malonecar.com |
| Cree SAM Cree SAM Cree SAM, designed and developed by the Swiss company Cree, is a prototype zero emission battery electric vehicle. It is a tadpole three-wheel car, with two seats in a tandem arrangement.... |
Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
2001 | 2 front | Electric Battery electric vehicle A battery electric vehicle, or BEV, is a type of electric vehicle that uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs. BEVs use electric motors and motor controllers instead of, or in addition to, internal combustion engines for propulsion.A battery-only electric vehicle or... , only 80 produced |
| ScootCoupe | United States | 2004- | 2 front | Smallest production car currently, requiring no license to operate due to its moped Moped Mopeds are a type of low-powered motorcycle designed to provide economical and relatively safe transport with minimal licensing requirements.Mopeds were once all equipped with bicycle-like pedals , but moped has been increasingly applied by governments to vehicles without pedals, based on their... drive-train |
| Myers Motors NmG ("No more Gas") | United States | 2006- | 2 front | Single occupant all-electric plug-in: 75mph, 50-60 mile range, lithium batteries. Developed from Corbin Sparrow. The 2-passenger model, the Duo, is scheduled for release in 2010. http://www.myersmotors.com/ |
| Moonbeam | United States | 2008- | 2 front | 100mpg DIY, fabric-covered car based on parts from 2 Honda 150cc motorscooters. |
| Triac Triac (car) Triac, by Green Vehicles Inc., is a two-seat three-wheeled car. The Triac freeway commuter Early Adopter program closed as of June 15th, 2010; they announced in July 2011 that they will be shutting down all operations.... |
United States | 2009-2011 | 2 front | Electric Battery electric vehicle A battery electric vehicle, or BEV, is a type of electric vehicle that uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs. BEVs use electric motors and motor controllers instead of, or in addition to, internal combustion engines for propulsion.A battery-only electric vehicle or... , never entered production |
| XR-3 Hybrid | United States | Plans-2008, Kit-2009 | 2 front | Front 3 cylinder diesel (125 mpg), rear electric 40 mile range -(220 mpg when used as a hybrid) |
| Aptera 2e | United States | 2 front | Electric Battery electric vehicle A battery electric vehicle, or BEV, is a type of electric vehicle that uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs. BEVs use electric motors and motor controllers instead of, or in addition to, internal combustion engines for propulsion.A battery-only electric vehicle or... or Plug-in hybrid, 300 miles per US gallon |
Two Rear Wheels models :
| Name | Country | Years manufactured | Wheel configuration | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benz Patent Motorwagen Benz Patent Motorwagen The Benz Patent-Motorwagen , built in 1886, is widely regarded as the first automobile, that is, a vehicle designed to be propelled by a motor... |
Germany | 1886-93 | 2 rear | |
| La Va Bon Train La Va Bon Train The La Va Bon Train was a French automobile manufactured by Larroumet and Lagarde of Agen, Lot-et-Garonne between 1904 and 1914. The company had originally been founded in 1891 as a bicycle maker.... |
France | 1904-10 | 2 rear | 50-100 believed built |
| Autoette Autoette The Autoette was a microcar created and manufactured from 1948 to 1970's by Royce Seevers, owner of the Autoette Electric Car Company Inc. of Long Beach, California. The two-seat, three-wheeled microcar was electric powered by specially made batteries from Trojan battery Co., and motive power... |
United States | 1948-70 | 2 rear | |
| Scammell Scarab Scammell Scarab The Scammell Scarab is a British 3-wheeled tractor unit produced by the truck manufacturer Scammell between 1948 and 1967. Its name derived from the rounded bonnet that resembled the elytra of a Scarab beetle... |
England | 1948-67 | 2 rear | |
| Daihatsu Bee Daihatsu Bee The Daihatsu Bee is a three wheeled microcar that was produced by Daihatsu Kogyo Co Ltd from 1951.Although Daihatsu had been producing motorized tricycles for carrying freight since 1930, and had also produced a small car for military use in 1937, the Bee was the first passenger car the company... |
Japan | 1951-? | 2 rear | |
| Daihatsu Midget Daihatsu Midget The Daihatsu Midget is a single-seat mini-truck made by Japanese automaker Daihatsu. Several distinct vehicles have borne the Midget name over the years, but all have had in common a single-seat utilitarian design, with an enclosed or semi-enclosed cab.... |
Japan | 1957-72 | 2 rear | |
| Mazda T-2000 | Japan | 1957-74 | 2 rear |  |
| Mazda K360 | Japan | 1959-69 | 2 rear |  |
| Mazda T600 | Japan | 1959-71 | 2 rear | |
| Electra-King | United States | 1964?-1980s? | 2 rear | Two-seater electric car manufactured by B & Z Electric Car Company; advertising brochure |
| Bond 875 Bond 875 The Bond 875 was a small three-wheeled car, made by Bond Cars Ltd in Preston, United Kingdom from 1965 to 1970. There was also a van version from 1967, known as the Ranger.... |
England | 1965-70 | 2 rear | |
| Reliant Robin Reliant Robin thumb|right|250px|1975 Greek advertisement for Mebea Robin The Reliant Robin is a small three wheeled car formerly manufactured by the Reliant Motor Company in Tamworth, England... |
England | 1973-81, 1989-2002 | 2 rear | |
| GM Lean Machine | United States | 1980s | 2 rear | Tilt, concept car only, conceived by Frank Winchell, illustration |
| Twike TWIKE The TWIKE is a human-electric hybrid vehicle /light electric vehicle designed to carry two passengers and cargo. It can be driven in electric-only mode or electric + pedal power mode .Constructed of lightweight materials such as aluminium and plastic, this... |
Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
1995-present | 2 rear | Human-electric hybrid |
| ZAP Xebra | United States | 2006-2009 | 2 rear | electric power |
| Carver Carver (automobile) The Carver is a tilting three wheeled vehicle using an automatic balancing technology to balance the passenger compartment under all conditions. The first commercial Carver product, the Carver One, was designed to seat two people, and manufactured and distributed by Carver Europe in the Netherlands... |
Netherlands | 2007-2009 | 2 rear | Tilt |
Registration
In the U.S.United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines and regulates three-wheeled vehicles as motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s.
Licensing
Driver's license
A driver's license/licence , or driving licence is an official document which states that a person may operate a motorized vehicle, such as a motorcycle, car, truck or a bus, on a public roadway. Most U.S...
requirements vary on a state-by-state basis. In other jurisdictions, such as British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Connecticut, a three-wheeled vehicle with an enclosed passenger compartment or partially enclosed seat is considered an automobile.
See also
- Three wheelerThree wheelerA three wheeler is a vehicle with three wheels, either "human or people-powered vehicles" or motorized vehicles in the form of a motorcycle, All terrain vehicle or automobile. Other names for three-wheelers include Trikes, Tricars and Cyclecars...
- Motorized tricycles
- Electric trikes
- Tuk-tuk or Auto rickshawAuto rickshawAn auto rickshaw or three-wheeler is a usually three-wheeled cabin cycle for private use and as a vehicle for hire. It is a motorized version of the traditional pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw...
- Three wheeled vehicles popular in many parts of AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population... - Steam tricycleSteam tricycleA steam tricycle is a steam-driven three-wheeled vehicle.-History:In the early days of motorised vehicle development, a number of experimenters built steam-powered vehicles with three wheels....
- CushmanCushmanCushman is a manufacturer of industrial vehicles, personal vehicles, and other custom vehicles, including parking patrol auto rickshaws.- Models :* Haulster, small industrial multi-purpose truck.* Truckster* Bellhop Series, golf carts....
- manufactured in USA, many built for utility/maintenance - Tri-MagnumTri-MagnumThe Tri-Magnum is a three wheeler DIY project designed by Robert Q. Riley. The drivetrain is a high-CC motorcycle rear end mated to a simple steel frame which in turn mates to a VW beetle front suspension. A simple body of wood, urethane foam, and fiberglass is constructed. The vehicle's plans are...
- a DIY three-wheeler - Myers Motors NmG - all-electric plug-in, manufactured in USA
- Volkswagen 1-litre carVolkswagen 1-litre carThe Volkswagen 1-litre car is a two-person diesel concept car produced by Volkswagen. The 1-litre car was designed to be able to travel 100 km on 1 litre of diesel fuel, , while being both roadworthy and practical...