Honda Zest
I began writing this book because no one else has
covered the subject comprehensively, there are a lot of books and
web pages on individual models that go into minute often extremely
boring details but there is nothing to link all of this class of
car together that show how the modern ultralight economy car we
use today has evolved. First I must explain what I mean by
the rather long winded term ultralight economy car. The type of
car or if you prefer auto-mobile, that I refer to below can be
classified today by many labels, mini-car, economy car, city car,
mini compact if you are from USA or a A-segment mini car if you
are a European official. None of these describe exactly the type
of car I have included in this text. Yes they were economy cars
but very small economy cars with an engine capacity range with
some latitude; from 360 cc to 1000 cc. Some could be classed as
mini or city cars but not all are and some could be classed as
micro-cars, but they were and are all a relatively low cost form
of transport for a great many millions of people around the world
in the past and increasingly so today.
For those that are mainly interested in the present or the
near past I have written this version of the book in reverse
chronological order starting at 2014. If it retains your interest,
in succeeding chapters the story will unfold to the
beginning.
Chery QQ3
An engines configuration is a compromise between cost of
manufacture, weight and refinement and for the first fifty years
of the car ultralight economy cars usually had a twin cylinder
engines at the cheaper end of thee range and four cylinder engines
at the more expensive end with some exceptions; but from the
nineteen forties there emerged the two stroke triple. First
produced in Germany and then in Sweden and later by Suzuki in
Japan who after producing two stroke twins began producing two
stoke triples. At the beginning of the twentieth century
there was a short lived fashion for the four stroke inline three
cylinder engine; but I cannot find any evidence of an engine of
that configuration until Daihatsu began producing their CB10
engine as fitted in the 1977 Charade. Suzuki converted from the
two stroke triple to the four stroke triple in 1981 with their F5A
543 cc engine and the F8B 796 cc engine both being fitted in the
Alta. The changed was necessitated by their inability to meet
emission standards with the two stroke engine then in production.
Daihatsu went on to extending their range of triples with the 550
cc EB in 1985, the 850 cc ED in 1986, the 660 cc EF in 1990
and the 989 cc EJ in 1998, the Toyota 1KR-Fe is also a Daihatsu
design. As Daihatsu and Suzuki designs dominate the ultralight car
sector and are the bases for Maruti, Perodua and the early Daewoo
models as well as supplying engines for other makes, with the new
Volkswagen and Renault models also using the same layout of
engine, the inline four stroke three cylinder engine is almost
universal in this sector.
I will mention the early history of the electric city car in a
later chapter and their lack of success in the market place. Due
to concerns about pollution in cities the electric car has had a
revival in the twenty first century with models produced by small
specialists and increasingly by major manufacturers. There are
electric city cars but they could not be considered ultralight and
due to the very high initial cost of the electric car they cannot
be considered economic in comparison to city cars with an internal
combustion engine, as the following examples show. The Volkswagen
Up weigh’s 929 Kg and the eUp weigh’s 1139 kg, the Volkswagen Up
costs £8,010 in the Uk and the eUp costs £19,270. The same
comparisons for the Smart and the Smart Ed are 795 kg and 970kg
and cost wise £9,220 and £15,395, and for the Aixam Coupe in
relation to the Mega City electric is 400kg and 645 kg and 12,440
Euros and 17,708 Euros. They therefore are only a footnote in this
narrative. If it wasn’t for the regulation defining the European
motorised quadricycle’s and Japanese Kia cars I’m sure the
manufacturers would as they replaced existing models produce
larger, heavier replacements with larger capacity engines, its the
way of the industry; but there is no restrictions on the other
larger city cars and inevitably this is what happens when they are
replaced, with well known model names moving into the bottom of
the super-mini sector like the Fiat Panda and the Chevrolet Spark,
fortunately there are other to replace them such as the
Volkswagen Group models and the new Renault Twingo. In the second
decade of the twenty first century the ultralight economy car is
flourishing whether its goes under the name of motorised
quadricycle, Kia car, City car, A segment or small sub-compact. in
production all over the world, although not now made in the
affluent parts of western Europe as in the past that is except
France; but in eastern Europe, Asia southeast and continental and
south America, providing reliable cost effective transport to
millions.
Manufacturer
|
Model
|
Class
|
Country of Production |
Ligier |
IXO JS Line range |
Motorised Quad | France |
Microcar | M.GO | Motorised Quad | France |
Aixam |
Coupe | Motorised Quad | France |
Grecav | Sonique | Motorised Quad | Italy |
Tata |
Nano |
Mini car | India |
Daihatsu |
Mira | Kia | Japan |
Daihatsu |
Move | Kia | Japan |
Daihatsu |
Tanto | Kia | Japan |
Daihatsu |
Tanto exe |
Kia | Japan |
Suzuki |
Alto | Kia | Japan |
Suzuki |
Wagon R |
Kia | Japan |
Suzuki |
MR Wagon | Kia | Japan/India |
Mitsubishi | eK |
Kia | Japan |
Mitsubishi | Toppo | Kia | Japan |
Honda | Life |
Kia | Japan |
Honda | N-ONE |
Kia | Japan |
Subaru | Lucra | Kia | Japan |
Karimun | Wagon R | City |
Indonesia |
Pax Suzuki | Wagon R | City |
Pakistan |
Maruti | Wagon R | City |
India |
Maruti | A Star/Alta | City |
India |
Smart |
Fortwo | City |
France |
Chery |
QQ3 | City |
China and many others |
Toyota |
Agya |
City |
Indonesia |
Citroen |
C1 | City |
Czech Republic |
Peugeot | 108 | City |
Czech Republic |
Toyota |
Aygo | City |
Czech Republic |
Volkswagen | Up | City |
Slovakia/Brazil |
Seat | Miil | City |
Slovakia |
Skoda |
Citigo | City |
Slovakia |
Renault | Twingo | City |
Slovenia |