3 Wheelers

**mazdamazda** · June 27th, 2007 09:41 AM

my suggestion...

two wheels up front, one at the rear (for stability).

something like this:

i'll try to draw a few sketches of what I have in mind. definitely not as agressive looking as the vehicle above.

**architect** · June 27th, 2007 09:48 AM

*mazdamazda,

Is that the T-Rex?

**architect** · June 27th, 2007 09:51 AM

Another three-wheeler - http://www.rqriley.com/xr3.htm

It is the XR3 but costs considerably less than the US$40,000 T-Rex. I believe this will be available for about US15,000.

Incidentally, all three - the T-Rex, XR3, and Trima - have the same tadpole form with two wheels in front.

**donbuggy** · June 27th, 2007 10:31 AM

Three-wheelers can be stable at high speeds and won't overturn during cornering as long as:

1) the configuration is two wheels at front and one wheel at the back.
2) the track (distance from center of the left tire to the center of the right tire) is wide enough.
3) the center of gravity is low and is located near the front end.

Pollution will not be an issue if a 4-stroke motorcycle engine is used.

The A/C compressor can be run by an electric motor just like in the Toyota Prius hybrid.

As for visibility issues, a low three-wheeler will stand out among the ordinary cars because of its unique shape.

**donbuggy** · June 27th, 2007 10:42 AM

Here's my drawing of a three-wheeler that I posted in another thread:

**ghosthunter** · June 27th, 2007 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by ogpro

1. Aren't motorcycle engines much more polluting than your standard auto engine?

yes and no. Only the two stroke motorcycle engines give off more pollutants. The four stroke motorcycle engines are roughly at level with most modern cars.

2. Can a motorcycle engine operate an A/C unit's compressor?

make the engine bigger and/or compressor smaller and it will run the A/C system.

3. Seems to me the safety features were more implied than explained. I'd like to know what safety features will keep such a low profile vehicle from being run over by a bus or crashing and sliding under a truck. Just thinking in philippine traffic/road conditions terms....

Any small vehicle will be in danger of getting run over by a bigger one. Even a Camry can get run over by a truck if it was in the wrong place at the wrong time. At this point, any vehicle you design has to be crash worthy. Protect the occupants in a "passenger survival cell".

My micro-car three wheeler project (of more than 10 years ago) had a survival cell built into it's tubular space frame design. It was more similar to a race car than a typical production vehicle.

**donbuggy** · June 28th, 2007 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by ghosthunter

My micro-car three wheeler project (of more than 10 years ago) had a survival cell built into it's tubular space frame design. It was more similar to a race car than a typical production vehicle.

*ghosthunter,

Very interesting. Can you tell us more about this micro-car?

Engine?
Top speed?
Fuel consumption?
How many passengers?
Materials used (body)?
Photos?

Why did you build it?
What was it like to drive the micro-car?
Did you drive it every day?
Where is it now?

Sorry if I have too many questions. I'm just fascinated with these kind of vehicles.

**ghosthunter** · June 28th, 2007 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by donbuggy

*ghosthunter,

Very interesting. Can you tell us more about this micro-car?

Engine?
Top speed?
Fuel consumption?
How many passengers?
Materials used (body)?
Photos?

Why did you build it?
What was it like to drive the micro-car?
Did you drive it every day?
Where is it now?

Sorry if I have too many questions. I'm just fascinated with these kind of vehicles.

Engine : donated Honda 800cc motorcycle two stroke.
Top speed : unknown but it was computed to be 120 kph. Actual runs were limited to 60kph (safety purposes).
Fuel consumption : unknown
How many passengers: one driver, one passenger
Materials used (body): steel tubing as frame, painted GI sheets as the shell.
Photos: none with me but it's general shape was "tadpole".

Why did you build it: I was part of a research & design team in DLSU back in 1991 to 1994. The plan was to built a concept city car. It was pre-determined that a small engine and two seater car would be used. To save weight, a three wheel layout was chosen. Safety was NOT to be compromised. The design incorporated a passenger survival cell design which included side impact beams for added rigidity in non-frontal impacts.

Since the vehicle was a prototype, we also went with some flair. The doors were butterfly opening doors. The front section was modeled to look like a late 80's sport's car.

Using computer finite analysis, it was determined that the tubular space frame design was strong enough to survive a 100kph frontal impact without intrusion into the passenger survival cell. The crash forces were directed around the survival cell.

It was also proposed that a later version would use an electric motor as the drive unit and deep cycle batteries as power source but it was never built.

What was it like to drive the micro-car: handling was like a go-cart.
Did you drive it every day: no, it was only driven during testing or to the World Trade Exhibit Hall.
Where is it now: unknown

Interestingly the MicroCar 2 project looks similar to your concept drawing, including those finned side intake vents. The major differences were the front wheel fenders were integrated with the rest of the front part of the car, the rear section ended to a chisel-like edge and the headlights were integrated into the body for better aerodynamics.

Note: yes, the project had a predecessor, MicroCar 1. Basically a failure from the start because of poor design. I wasn't in the design team for this project but I was in the build team (and giving my *$%^*& comments on it).

**donbuggy** · June 28th, 2007 05:54 PM

Thanks ghosthunter. Designing and building that micro car is quite an achievement. Maybe the micro car is in somebody's garage somewhere. It would be a pity if it was lost forever.