Quadricycle Explained

The Quadricycle was an early form of automobile. Earliest models were propelled by a small steam engine, then designers switched to early internal combustion engines as they became available.The word is derived from the fact that it had four wheels and used a lot of technology from the bicycles of the era.

• 1884 De Dion Bouton "La Marquise" Quadricycle (Steam runabout)
• 1884 De Dion Bouton Victoria Quadricycle^[1]
• 1889 Daimler Quadricycle^[2]
• 1901 Peugeot Type 2, a direct descendant of the Daimler Quadricycle, and the first automobile of the Peugeot company
• Peugeot Type 3 Quadricycle^[3]
• Le Rudge Quadricycle Tandem^[4]
• 1896 Ford Quadricycle, Henry Ford's first automobile design^[5]
• 1899 Orient Quadricycle (aka Orient Autogo)^[6]
• 1900 De Dion Bouton Quadricycle^[7]
• 1901 Truffault Quadricycle^[8]

Additional motorized four-wheelers:

• Duryea Motor Wagon
• Benz Velo

Quadricycle, quadracycle, quadcycle, quadrocycle and quad all refer to vehicles with four wheels. More specifically these terms may refer to:

• All-terrain vehicle, also known as quad or quad bike
• Motorized quadcycle, a motorcycle with four wheels
• Automobile, the first experimental steam automobiles were termed steam quadricycles
• Low-speed vehicle, referred to in some countries as a quadricycle
• Quadricycle, European classifications for light four-wheeled motorized vehicles: light quadricycles, category L6e, and (heavy) quadricycles, category L7e

In 21st century France, a quadricycle is a 4-wheel car that cannot go faster than 45kph, weighs less than 425kg (937lb), and has a maximum power of 4kW.^{[9] [10]} (Comparable to the low-speed vehicle class in the United States.)

• Quadracycle, a four-wheeled style of cycle
• Velomobile, an enclosed human-powered vehicle

See also

• Cyclecar
• Horse and buggy
• Horseless carriage/Brass Era car
• List of motorized trikes
• Safety bicycle
• Steam locomotive
• Tricycle
• Unicycle
• Wagon
• List of land vehicles types by number of wheels

Notes and References

1. http://www.rmsothebys.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=826757 1884 De Dion Bouton Et Trepardoux Dos-A-Dos Steam Runabout
2. https://books.google.com/books?id=gHvmAAAAMAAJ&dq=daimler+quadricycle&pg=PA56 Page 56 on The Automotive Manufacturer, Volume 54 Trade News Publishing Co., 1912
3. http://www.arts-et-metiers.net/musee/quadricycle-peugeot-type-3 Quadricycle Peugeot Type 3
4. http://www.oldbike.eu/museum/bikes-1800s/1892-2/1892-tandem-quadricycle/ 1890s Tandem Quadricycle
5. Brinkley, David, Wheels for the World: Henry Ford, His Company, and a Century of Progress, (New York: Penguin Group, 2003), p.22
6. http://www.thefinishingtouchinc.com/portfolios/1899-orient-autogo/ 1899 Orient Autogo: Is it a bicycle? A motorcycle? An automobile?
7. https://www.classicdriver.com/en/car/de-dion/bouton/1900/158154 De Dion Bouton 1900
8. http://theoldmotor.com/?p=76699 The 1901 Buchet Powered Truffault Quadricycle April 13, 2013
9. Web site: Code de la route - Article R311-1 . . 1 December 2018 . 10 March 2019. FR. Paragraph 4
10. https://www.wired.com/2015/03/france-letting-14-year-olds-drive-tiny-electric-car/ WIRED – France Is Letting 14-Year-Olds Drive This Tiny Electric Car