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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. Due to its handling superiority, an increasingly popular form is the front-steering "tadpole" or sometimes with ] but usually with rear drive. A variant on the 'one at the front' layout was the ], which resembled a four-wheeler with a front wheel missing<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.motorbase.com/manufacturer/by-id/1723096431 |title=Scott Sociable |accessdate=2010-03-27}}</ref>

==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=July 2, 2006 |accessdate=2008-01-20 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20071024013740/http://star-motoring.com/news/story.asp?file=/2006/7/2/ms_features/14249260&sec=ms_features |archivedate = 2007-10-24}}</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 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070826192938/http://www.pekingparisraid.co.uk/History/index.asp <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2007-08-26}}</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 decreases stability. 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 ]. Alternatively, a more conventional front-engine, front wheel drive layout as is common in four-wheeled cars can be used, with subsequent advantages for stability and traction.

For the lowest ] (which increases ]), 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 ]. It is also used by ] for both its single passenger NmG and upcoming 2-passenger Duo.

The disadvantage of a rear drive, 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"
! Buckland B3
! Wales UK
! 1985 - present day
! 2 front
! ford 1.3lt kent powered
|www.penguinspeedshop.com


| ]
| Germany
| 1886-93
| 2 rear
|
|-
| ] Voiturette
| France
| 1895-?
| 2 front
|
|-
| ]
| Switzerland
| 1896-99
|
|
|-
| ] 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 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080112070506/http://www.oakingtonplane.co.uk/advance/advance_tri-cars.php |archivedate = 2008-01-12}}</ref>
| England
| 1902-12
| 2 front
|
|-
| 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}} {{Dead link|date=November 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</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
| 2 rear
| 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
|
|
|-
| ] Three Wheeler
| England
| 1929-36
| 2 front
| 1100cc engine;
|-
| ]
| Germany
| 1929
| 2 front
| Folding three wheeler: ]
|-
| ]
| United States
| 1948-70
| 2 rear
|
|-
| ]
| England
| 1948-67
| 2 rear
|
|-
| ] Oskar and other models
| ]
| 1951-71
| 2 front
| Originally with leather bodies
|-
| ]
| Japan
| 1951-?
| 2 rear
|
|-
| ]
| Italy
| 1953
| 2 front
|
|-
| ]
| Germany
| 1953-55
| 2 front
|
|-
| ]
| Germany
| 1955-64
| 2 front
|
|-
| ]
| Japan
| 1957-72
| 2 rear
|
|-
| ]
| Japan
| 1957-74
| 2 rear
| ]
|
|-
| ]
| Japan
| 1959-69
| 2 rear
| ]
|
|-
| ]
| Japan
| 1959-71
| 2 rear
|
|-
| ]
| ]
| 1963-64
| 2 front
| Smallest production car ever built.
|-
| Electra-King
| United States
| 1964?-1980s?
| 2 rear
| Two-seater electric car manufactured by B & Z Electric Car Company;
|-
| ]
| England
| 1965-70
| 2 rear
|
|-
| ]
| 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}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>
| United States
| 1980s
| 2 rear
| Tilt, concept car only, conceived by Frank Winchell,
|-
| ]
| ]
| 1995-present
| 2 rear
| Human-electric hybrid
|-
| ] ]
| ]
| 1996-present
|2 front
| Most likely the fastest (157 mph) most expensive ($50k MSRP) production 3-wheeler
|-
| ]
| ]
| 2001
| 2 front
| ], only 80 produced
|-
|
| United States
| 2004-
| 2 front
| Smallest production car currently, requiring no license to operate due to its ] drive-train
|-
| ] ("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.
|-
| ]
| United States
| 2006-?
| 2 rear
| electric power
|-
| ]
| Netherlands
| 2007-2009
| 2 rear
| Tilt
|-
|
| United States
| 2008-
| 2 front
| 100mpg ], fabric-covered car based on parts from 2 Honda 150cc motorscooters.
|-
| ]
| United States
| 2009
| 2 front
| ]
|-
|
| 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)
|-
| ]
| United States
| 2010?
| 2 front
| ] or ], {{convert|300|mpgUS|L/100 km|abbr=on}}
|-
| ]
| United States
| 2010?
| 2 rear
| Tilt, hybrid and electric models, technology licensed from ]
|-
| ]
| Canada
| 2012
| 2 front
| Urban-Electric-Ethanol, Rear Wheel Steering, 230mpg, http://urbee.net

|}

==Registration==
In the ] the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines and regulates three-wheeled vehicles as ]s.<ref name=Related Highway Safety Provisions>{{cite web |url=http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/nhtsa/Cfc_title49/HighwaySafety.pdf|title=Related Highway Safety Provisions}}</ref> [[Driver's license|
Licensing]] requirements vary on a state-by-state basis. 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 ]
*]
*] - manufactured in ], many built for utility/maintenance
*] - a ] three-wheeler
*] - all-electric plug-in, manufactured in USA

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*
*
*

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Latest revision as of 17:27, 9 December 2014

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