Improvement of Steerability and Driving Safety of an Electric Three-Wheeled Vehicle by a Design Modification of its Steering Mechanism

Abstract Three-wheeled vehicles are transport means which generally combine properties of two-wheeled vehicles (principal motorcycles) and four-wheeled vehicles (standards cars). Three-wheeled vehicles have been designed and manufactured as units which are made up of one front wheel and two rear wheels, powered by an electric drive-train, and referred to in some countries under a non-English term as E-3kolka. These vehicles also comprise a special steering mechanism which improves their overturning stability when driving around curves. However, several tests have revealed certain deficiencies of the steering mechanism, where the main issue included unreliable self-restraining effect of steering wheel straightening after driving around a curve. This may even lead to unacceptable properties of the vehicle. Therefore, the authors of this paper suggest particular technical solutions to eliminate or completely avoid the described negative effects during driving. Proposed designs are mutually compared and a final decision is presented.