Three wheelers-Present models- Indian Norms and Conditions By- Rahul Pedapudi 20063062,M2 History - A Time Line of 3-Wheelers. 1478 :Leonardo da Vinci draws plans for a self powered automobile that is powered by clockwork. 1769 :Cugnot builds the Worlds first steam powered self- propelled vehicle to transport man (France). 1769 :World’s first auto-accident. Cugnot drives his steam vehicle into a garden wall. (France). 1784 :William Murdock builds a model steam 3-wheeler. (UK) 1801 :Richard Trevithick creates the World’s first “Passenger car”, A huge steam powered vehicle. (UK) 1833 :Dr Church’s steam coach runs daily from Birmingham to London carrying upto 44 people at an average speed of 14mph.(UK) 1885 :Karl Benz unveils the World’s first motorcar - The Benz Motorwagen. (Germany) 1896 :John Henry Knight builds first petrol car to run on British soil. (UK) 1900 :Many bicycle companies start to produce 3-wheeled “forecars”. 1912 :Many 3-wheeler manufacturers vanish with the onset of World War- 1. 1921 :Wall Street Crash - results in the need for light “cycle-car” 3-wheeler manufacturers. 1939 :World’d largest production 3-wheeler manufactured, the Davis can carry seven adults. (USA) 1949 :Suez Crisis, many 3-wheeler manufacturers appear as the price of petrol soars. 1963 :Reliant develop 600cc overhead valve unit which is Britain’s first flowline light alloy motor vehicle engine. 1964 :Spirit of America records a speed of 566.27 mph becoming the World’s fastest jet powered 3-wheeler. 1964 :World’s smallest production 3-wheeler manufactured. The 49cc Peel P50.(Isle of Man) 1999 :Fastest road legal 3-wheeler produced. The Vigillante has a top speed in excess of 200mph and a 0-60 mph time of 3 seconds. (USA) Types of Three-wheel Cars A three-wheel car is, by design, basically a triangle shape. Having one wheel up front and two in the back is known as the delta configuration. The benefit to the delta setup is its inherent low cost. Most cars set up this way have the engine driving the rear wheels and leave steering to the front one. It's relatively easy (and inexpensive) to build a steering setup with only one wheel. The second type of three-wheeler setup is called the tadpole or reverse trike. much more stable than the delta setup because the back wheel drives the vehicle while the two wheels up front are responsible for steering. Here's also an aerodynamic benefit, since the vehicle is shaped almost like a teardrop -- wide and round up front and tapering off in the rear. This allows air to flow easily over the vehicle's bodywork. Three-wheel Car Advantages Provide people with the efficient transportation they need. Hosting smaller engines. The triangular shape is more aerodynamic than a boxy car, meaning it can achieve better fuel economy simply from its body design alone. A three-wheeled car's small size -- plus the inclusion of a powerful engine -- can mean exciting performance as well. It's built much lower to the ground than a typical motorcycle and that lower center of gravity gives it incredible handling characteristics. Three wheelers are quite economical in terms of manufacturing and maintenance. Three-wheel Car Disadvantages Because of their smaller size, three-wheelers don't offer the seating and storage options you see in most four-wheel cars. the delta configuration -- are simply more prone to tipping over than four-wheel cars are. Commonly used 3-wheelers in India Bajaj GC 1000 Pal Wonder Piaggio Agni Prinda Auto Rickshaw Cycle Rickshaw Three wheeler manufacturer in India Bajaj Auto, Mahindra & Mahindra and The Italy-based Piaggio. Scooters India Limited In the three-wheeler segment, comprising both passenger and goods vehicles, the former is 76 per cent. Of this, Bajaj Auto enjoys a 46 per cent market share, Piaggio Vehicles has 38 per cent and Mahindra, 10 per cent. Auto Rickshaw An auto rickshaw or three-wheelers (tuk-tuk, auto, rick, autorick or rickshaw) is a motor vehicle that is one of the chief modes of transport across many parts of South and East Asia, especially as a vehicle for hire. Auto rickshaws are particularly popular where traffic congestion is a problem. They are common in many Asian cities like Bangkok, Dhaka, Ahmedabad, Pune, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. DESIGN • An auto rickshaw is generally characterized by a sheet-metal body or open frame that rests on three wheels, a canvas roof with drop-down sides, a small cabin in the front of the vehicle for the driver ,and seating space for three in the rear. They are generally fitted with an air-cooled scooter version of a two-stroke engine, with handlebar controls instead of a steering wheel. Cycle Rickshaw The cycle rickshaw is a small-scale local means of transport; it is also known by a variety of other names such as pedicab, cyclo, or trishaw. Cycle rickshaws are human powered, a type of tricycle designed to carry pasengers in addition to the driver. They are often used on a for hire basis. DESIGN In most of South Asia, the passenger seat is located behind the driver on a “delta” tricycle, while in Indonesia and Vietnam the driver sits behind the passenger seat on a “tadpole” tricycle. Tricycle or Trike Steam tricycle Tri-Magnum All-terrain vehicle Carver Issues Auto rickshaws have a top-speed of around 50 km/h (about 31 mph) and a cruising speed of around 35 km/h (22 mph). Traffic authorities in big cities try to implement different mechanisms to circumvent the resulting traffic slow-down issues; however, none of these have really proven to work out. Efficient users of road space. Comparatively efficient users of energy. Comparatively low emission of green house gas. Over-represented in traffic accidents. Significant source of air and noise pollution. A handful of major cities ban, cap or restrict motor-rickshaws from certain areas (Delhi, Mumbai). Norms and Conditions 3 wheeler norms, India is already ahead of most of the advanced world as far as the emission norms are concerned. Emission Norms for 2 / 3 Wheelers to be the same in the Entire Country Bharat Stage I I norms From 1 April, 2005 Bharat Stage I I I norms Preferably from 1 April, 2008 but not later than 1 April, 2010 in any case. The 3 wheeler vehicle manufacturers may be asked to give mandatory on-road emission warranty for 30,000 km in respect of such parts which may have impact on emissions including that of catalytic converter. Nano effect: 3-wheelers to be cheaper? The Nano is priced at Rs 1.12 lakh, Bajaj Auto's RE petrol variant costs about Rs 90,000, while its diesel variant is pegged at Rs 1.2 lakh. Bajaj Auto, the country's largest three-wheeler passenger vehicles manufacturer, said it had enough leeway to reduce the price of its popular auto rickshaws to counter any shift by its consumers to Tata Motors' Nano. 3-Wheeler Applications in India Hybrid 3-Wheel Vehicles VOLKSWAGEN GX3 46 miles per gallon Will cost American consumers under $17,000 for the two-passenger vehicle. The automaker claims it will be a lot safer than a motorcycle, thanks to a steel construction frame with paneling made of high-density fiberglass. The GX3's front axle resembles that of a car, while the rear is more like a motorcycle. MERCEDES-BENZ F 300 Life-Jet An interesting vehicle, with an active tilt control system that allows the car to lean into turns at just the right angle with maximum safety and comfort for two occupants. The engine, the same as in the Mercedes-Benz A-class located between the rear wheel and cockpit, offering better fuel mileage than motorcycles. Lightweight, with an aluminum chassis weighing only 196 pounds. The roof, split into two halves, could easily be removed and stored above the rear wheel. PEUGEOT 20CUP Built around a one-piece carbon chassis with a separate black leather trimmed cockpit for two occupants . Only 5.8 feet in height. It is designed to load the front axle and keep the rear axle nearly load-free. Three 1-inch alloy wheels, two in the front and one in the rear. a turbo-charged four-cylinder, 16-valve direct-injection engine. uses a touch screen in the center of the steering wheel to operate the vehicle. XNovo Three Wheeler Both rear wheels will be belt driven in the 500cc Piaggio- engined petrol version, although hybrid and fully electric versions are also on the cards, the latter featuring twin electric motors, one in each wheel hub. Piaggio’s Hybrid Scooter The Car of the Future By Aptera Motors