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{{Redirect|Tri-Car|the first automobile|Benz Patent Motorwagen}}

* ]

A '''three wheeled car''', also known as a '''tricar''' or '''tri-car''', is an ] having either one ] in the front for steering and two at the rear for power, two in the front for steering and one in the rear for power, or any other combination of layouts.

==History==
Early car pioneer ] developed a number of three-wheeled models.<ref name=Elvis>{{cite web |url=http://pages.zoom.co.uk/elvis/history2.html |title=The History of the 3-Wheeled Vehicle |author=Elvis Payne |date=2001 |publisher=pages.zoom.co.uk |accessdate=2008-01-20}}</ref> One of these, the ],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://star-motoring.com/news/story.asp?file=/2006/7/2/ms_features/14249260&sec=ms_features |title=History in its magnificence |author=Chris Chong |publisher=star-motoring.com |date=] ] |accessdate=2008-01-20}}</ref> is widely regarded as the first purpose-built automobile,{{Fact|date=January 2008}} and may be the first petrol car driven on British soil, in 1894.<ref name=Elvis/> In 1896, John Henry Knight showed a tri-car, recognized as the first British-made motorcar, at ].<ref name=Elvis/> A Conti 6 ] Tri-car competed in (but did not complete) a 1907 ]-to-] race sponsored by a French newspaper, '']''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pekingparisraid.co.uk/History/index.asp |title=History |publisher=pekingparisraid.co.uk |accessdate=2008-01-20}}</ref>

==Strengths and weaknesses==
Having one wheel in front and two in the rear for power reduces the cost of the steering mechanism, but greatly increases instability. However, a configuration of two wheels in the front and one wheel at the back has many strong proponents among automotive designers and enthusiasts. Two advantages are its improved ], and that it readily enables small lightweight motorcycle powerplants and rear wheels to be used. This approach was used by the BMW ].

For the lowest ] (and best ]), a teardrop shape is desirable. A tear drop is wide and round at the front, tapering to a point 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 ].

The disadvantage of a non-tilting three wheel configuration is ] - the car will tip over in a turn before it will slide, unless the ] is much closer to the ground or the wheelbase is much wider than a similar four wheel vehicle. To improve stability some three wheelers are designed as ]s so that they lean while cornering like a motorcyclist would do. The tilt may be controlled manually or by computer. Electric three-wheelers often lower the center of gravity by placing the heavy battery pack at the base of the vehicle.

==Examples==
{|Class="wikitable"
! Name
! Country
! Years manufactured
! Wheel configuration
! Comments (see fuller list at ])
|-
| ]
| Germany
| 1886-1893
| 2 rear
|
|-
| ] 6 hp air-cooled Tri Car and 9 hp water-cooled Tri Car<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oakingtonplane.co.uk/advance/advance_tri-cars.php |title=Advance Fore-Cars and Tri-Cars |publisher=oakingtonplane.co.uk |accessdate=2008-01-23}}</ref>
| England
| 1902-12
| 2 front
|
|-
| ]
| England
| 1904
|
|
|-
| Humber Tricar<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britishmm.co.uk/history.asp?id=465 |title=British Motor Manufacturers (1894-1960) Humber |publisher=britishmm.co.uk |accessdate=2008-01-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.histomobile.com/histomob/internet/289/histo02.htm |title=Humber - The 1900 's |publisher=histomobile.com |accessdate=2008-01-20}}</ref>
| England
| 1904
| 2 front
|
|-
| ] Olympia Tricar<ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.ukonline.co.uk/rileyrob/history/1896-14.htm |title=Rileys 1896 - 1939 The Pre-Nuffield Years. |publisher=Rob's Riley Pages (ukonline.co.uk/rileyrob) |accessdate=2008-01-20}}</ref>
| England
| 1904
| 2 front
|
|-
| ] Tricar<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.autoclassic.com/features/classic_car_history/lagonda_tricar.html |title=The History of Classic Cars: 1905 Lagonda Tricar |publisher=autoclassic.com |accessdate=2008-01-20}}</ref>
| England
| 1904-07
| 2 front
| total production: 69 cars
|-
| ]
| France
| 1904-10
|
| 50-100 believed built
|-
| ]
| England
| 1905-07
|
|
|-
| ]
| England
| 1906-07
|
|
|-
| ] V-Twin and F-Series
| England
| 1911-39, 1932-52
| 2 front
|
|-
| ]
| United States
| 1912
|
|
|-
| ]
| Germany
| 1929
| 2 front
|
|-
| Martinette, Stationette, Tri-car Suburbanette<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.earlyaviators.com/emartja2.htm |title=The History of Tri-car |author=H. Roy Jaffe |publisher=The Early Birds of Aviation, Inc. (earlyaviators.com) |accessdate=2008-01-20}}</ref>
| Unites States
| 1932, 1954 and 1955 respectively
| 2 front
| prototypes conceived and built by Captain James Vernon Martin (1883-1956)
|-
| ]
| United States
| 1948-70
|
|
|-
| ]
| Japan
| 1951-?
| 2 rear
|
|-
| ]
| England
| 1963-64
| 2 front/ 2 rear
| Smallest production car ever built.
|-
| ] ]
| ], ]
| 1996-present
| 2 front
| Most likely the fastest, most expensive 3-wheeler ever
|-
| ]
| England
| 1973-81
| 2 rear
|
|-
| ]
| United States
| 1979-82
| 2 front
|
|-
| GM Lean Machine <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.3wheelers.com/gmlean.html |title=General Motors Three Wheeled Cars. |publisher=GM's Lean Machine (3-wheelers.com/gmlean) |accessdate=2008-04-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.commutercars.com/downloads/studies/UCBLeanMachineStudy.pdf |title=Lean Machines: Preliminary Investigation. |publisher=Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California at Berkeley (commutercars.com/downloads/studies/) |accessdate=2008-04-08}}</ref>
| United States
| 1980's
| 2 rear
| Tilt, concept car only, conceived by Frank Winchell,
|-
| Scorpion <ref>{{cite web |url=http://artbyshep.homestead.com/SCORPION.html |title=Home Built Three Wheeled Car: Scorpion. |publisher=Art by Shep (artbyshep.homestead.com) |accessdate=2008-04-08}}</ref>
| United States
| 1995?
|2 front
| Home built, work in progress, ,
|-
| ]
| United States
| 2006-?
| 2 rear
| electric power
|-
| ]
| Netherlands
| 2007?
| 2 rear
| Tilt, Top Gear
|-
| ]
| United States
| 2008?
| 2 front
| ] or ], {{convert|300|mpgUS|L/100 km|abbr=on}}
|-
|
| United States
| 2008-
| 2 front
| 100mpg ]-based, ], fabric-covered car
|-
|
| United States
| 2008-
| 2 front
| Smallest production car currently, requiring no license to operate due to its ] drive-train
|-
| ]
| United States
| 2009?
| 2 rear
| Tilt, hybrid and electric models, technology licensed from ]
|-
| ]
| United States
| Plans-2008, Kit-2009
| 2 front
| Front 3 cylinder diesel (125 mpg), rear electric 40 mile range -(220 mpg when used as hybrid)
|}

==Registration==
In at least some ] states, three-wheeled cars are regulated as ]s, with similar ] requirements. In other jurisdictions, such as ], ], a three-wheeled vehicle with an enclosed passenger compartment is considered an automobile.

== See also ==
*]
*] - Motorized tricycles
*] or ] - Three wheeled vehicles popular in many parts of ]
*]
*] - The only manufacturer of 3-wheeled autos in the United States, many built for utility/maintenance
*] - a ] three-wheeler

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*
*
*

]

]
]

Latest revision as of 17:27, 9 December 2014

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