An electric trike is a three-wheeled vehicle powered by an electric motor.

A TRIPL used for delivery service

Overview edit

Definition edit

While the normal legal definition of motorcycle is a two-wheeled vehicle, in the USA a motorcycle may also be three-wheeled.[1] This classification does not depend on whether the operator is fully enclosed by a "cage" or exposed to the elements.[citation needed]

Configurations edit

Three-wheeled vehicles with one front wheel and two rear wheels are known as a delta design or the traditional trike (tricycle) design, while vehicles with two front wheels and one rear wheel are known as a tadpole design.

Electric assisted velomobiles edit

Some three-wheeled electric vehicles, such as the Twike and the Myers Motors NmG, enclose the rider in a cabin or cockpit.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ Daniel Sperling (1995). Future drive: electric vehicles and sustainable transportation. Island Press. p. 75.
  2. ^ Enclosed tricycles Archived 9 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine