Peel P50, which weighs about 68 kgs and has a top speed of 64 kmph is arguably the smallest car in the world. This car which was officially recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the smallest car ever to go into production, was displayed at Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum in Times Square, New York.
Designed as a city car for Ripley’s by the London-based Peel Engineering Company, this one seater car was advertised as capable of seating “one adult and a shopping bag”. The $ 25,000 Peel Trident is a battery-operated car featuring one door on its left side, single windscreen wiper and one headlight.
The Peel Trident uses a 49 cc DKW engine which runs for about 480 km per charge. It is equipped with a three-speed manual transmission with no reverse gear. Therefore, turning in a confined area can only be achieved by pushing, or lifting the car using the handle on the rear and physically pulling it round!
The Peel Engineering Company had made about two hundred gas-powered cars in the 1960s but never hit the road. Only one prototype, the Peel P55 Saloon Scooter survived the time machine. The Peel P50 which has a single wheel at the front and two at the rear and is road-legal in the UK as a “three-wheeler” and in Finland, it is being classified as a moped.
How big is this Peel P50? How about the safety features? I hope Tata Motors is not planning to launch another Nano inspired by this Micro Car.
I think this car should be sold commercially. It is battery charged an very effective as a mobile vehicle. It will hardly find any takers in its hometown United States as people there love big cars and scoff at small cars. It should be made available atleast in third world countries where it would certainly find takers.
Ripley's museum has an amazing collection. I was really shocked to when i read about the smallest car.This electric car do sounds good. it would have nee great if an image was attached with the blog. I would really love to see the car. If possible can anyone send me the url of the site which has an image. I really appreciate Carazoo for keeping the updated news.You have an amazing and interesting topics.