Peel P50 is the smallest electric car on Earth
The Peel P50 is the world’s smallest car standing at under 140cm (4.6in) and weighing just 59kg (130lbs).
The three-wheeled vehicle, which is technically classed as a ‘microcar’, was introduced by the Peel Engineering company back in 1962
The car’s unique selling point was – you’ve guessed it – its diminutive size and it was advertised as a city car that was just big enough to comfortably fit ‘one adult and a shopping bag’. What more do you need?
In 2010, the Peel P50 was awarded the Guinness World for the ‘Smallest Production Car’ ever made, a title it has retained ever since.
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How small was the P50?
The original model P50 had no reverse gear. ‘Why?’ I hear you ask – well, because it was small and lightweight you could simply pick it up and move it around by hand if you needed to.
As there’s no room for passengers, the P50 comes with just one door, on the left-hand side, and has a single window wiper and headlight.
The P50 stands at 137cm (54in) and 99cm (39in) wide and weighs just 59kg (130lbs).
Which is probably appreciated when you have to pick it up and move it around by hand.
The original model was a three-speed manual – no reverse, remember – and was fitted with a 3 cu in (49.2cc) DKW single-cylinder engine.
It was capable of a top speed of 60km/h (37mph).
How much did it cost?
When the 1963 model went on sale, it had a price tag of around $250, which would be around $5,656 in today’s money.
Believe it or not, in 2016 a P50 was sold for a staggering $176,000 at auction as a coveted collector’s item – a great ROI if you have one tucked away in a corner of your garage.
During its original run from 1962 to 1965, the Peel company produced 50 P50s – of which 27 are known to still exist.
Although the production of the P50s ground to a halt in 1965, you may be pleased to learn that in 2010 manufacturing started up again.
This time around, the minuscule motor was available as both a petrol and EV – both cars have a top speed of around 45km/h (28mph).
If you fancy getting your hands on one, Peel explains that each one is ‘hand-built to order’.
Peel also manufactures the Trident is a 3-wheeler micro car; which produces a 4.2 horsepower from its diddy engine and can hit a max speed of 65km/h (45mph).
Alternatively, if you’re in the market for an even smaller way to cut around the city, then the Microlino city car is the smallest EV ever produced.
Alternatively, the WalkCar is a laptop-sized electric vehicle that was created after its designer thought: “I wish I could carry my car around.” Fair enough.
