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Three-wheeled car

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"Tri-Car" redirects here. For the first automobile, see Benz Patent Motorwagen.

A three wheeled car, also known as a tricar or tri-car, is an automobile having either one wheel 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 Karl Benz developed a number of three-wheeled models. One of these, the Benz Patent Motorwagen, is widely regarded as the first purpose-built automobile, and may be the first petrol car driven on British soil, in 1894. In 1896, John Henry Knight showed a tri-car, recognized as the first British-made motorcar, at The Great Exhibition. 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.

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 aerodynamics, and that it readily enables small lightweight motorcycle powerplants and rear wheels to be used. This approach was used by the BMW Isetta.

For the lowest wind resistance (and best fuel efficiency), 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 Aptera electric and hybrid cars.

The disadvantage of a non-tilting three wheel configuration is instability - 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. To improve stability some three wheelers are designed as tilting three wheelers 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

Name Country Years manufactured Wheel configuration Comments (see fuller list at Category)
Benz Patent Motorwagen Germany 1886-1893 2 rear
Advance 6 hp air-cooled Tri Car and 9 hp water-cooled Tri Car England 1902-12 2 front
Aurora England 1904
Humber Tricar England 1904 2 front
Riley Olympia Tricar England 1904 2 front illustration
Lagonda Tricar England 1904-07 2 front total production: 69 cars
La Va Bon Train France 1904-10 50-100 believed built
Anglian England 1905-07
Armadale England 1906-07
Morgan V-Twin and F-Series England 1911-39, 1932-52 2 front Morgan Super Sports 2-Seater 1937
American Tri-Car United States 1912
Zaschka Germany 1929 2 front Zaschka Three-wheeler 1929
Martinette, Stationette, Tri-car Suburbanette Unites States 1932, 1954 and 1955 respectively 2 front prototypes conceived and built by Captain James Vernon Martin (1883-1956)
Autoette United States 1948-70
Daihatsu Bee Japan 1951-? 2 rear
Peel P50 England 1963-64 2 front/ 2 rear Smallest production car ever built.
Campagna T-Rex Quebec, Canada 1996-present 2 front Most likely the fastest, most expensive 3-wheeler ever
Reliant Robin England 1973-81 2 rear
HMV Freeway United States 1979-82 2 front
GM Lean Machine United States 1980's 2 rear Tilt, concept car only, conceived by Frank Winchell, illustration
Scorpion United States 1995? 2 front Home built, work in progress, illustration, video
ZAP Xebra United States 2006-? 2 rear electric power
Carver Netherlands 2007? 2 rear Tilt, Top Gear video
Aptera Typ-1 United States 2008? 2 front Electric or Plug-in hybrid, 300 mpg‑US (0.78 L/100 km)
Moonbeam United States 2008- 2 front 100mpg moped-based, DIY, fabric-covered car
Scoop Coupe United States 2008- 2 front Smallest production car currently, requiring no license to operate due to its moped drive-train
VentureOne United States 2009? 2 rear Tilt, hybrid and electric models, technology licensed from Carver
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 hybrid)

Registration

In at least some U.S. states, three-wheeled cars are regulated as motorcycles, with similar licensing requirements. In other jurisdictions, such as British Columbia, Canada, a three-wheeled vehicle with an enclosed passenger compartment is considered an automobile.

See also

References

  1. ^ Elvis Payne (2001). "The History of the 3-Wheeled Vehicle". pages.zoom.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  2. Chris Chong (July 2 2006). "History in its magnificence". star-motoring.com. Retrieved 2008-01-20. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. "History". pekingparisraid.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  4. "Advance Fore-Cars and Tri-Cars". oakingtonplane.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
  5. "British Motor Manufacturers (1894-1960) Humber". britishmm.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  6. "Humber - The 1900 's". histomobile.com. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  7. "Rileys 1896 - 1939 The Pre-Nuffield Years". Rob's Riley Pages (ukonline.co.uk/rileyrob). Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  8. "The History of Classic Cars: 1905 Lagonda Tricar". autoclassic.com. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  9. H. Roy Jaffe. "The History of Tri-car". The Early Birds of Aviation, Inc. (earlyaviators.com). Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  10. "General Motors Three Wheeled Cars". GM's Lean Machine (3-wheelers.com/gmlean). Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  11. "Lean Machines: Preliminary Investigation" (PDF). Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California at Berkeley (commutercars.com/downloads/studies/). Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  12. "Home Built Three Wheeled Car: Scorpion". Art by Shep (artbyshep.homestead.com). Retrieved 2008-04-08.

External links

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