What Is the Slowest Car in the World? [and How Slow Is It?] • Road Sumo

The fastest cars are often well-known, but what about the slowest car. What is the slowest car in the world? How slow is it?

The world’s slowest car is the Peel P50. It also holds the Guinness World Record for the smallest car ever made. The company that built this car is Peel Engineering. This slow car can’t do more than 30 miles per hour (48 km/h).

The Peel 50 is not only small. It is an ultra-compact car. Its engine can only deliver 3.35 horsepower. But it has a CVT transmission. There is also an electric version of the Peel 50 with almost the same specs as the original.

Read on to learn more about the world’s slowest car, its features and specs, and information about other slow cars that you most surely are not aware of.

What Is the Slowest Car in the World?

The slowest car in the world is the Peel 50, built by Peel Engineering. It is an ultra-compact car with an engine that can only produce 3.35 horsepower. It can only go 30 mph. The Guinness Book of World Records also legitimized its distinction as the smallest car ever been built.

The Peel 50 is not your ordinary car because it only has three wheels. The Peel Engineering Company manufactured this car from 1962 to 1965. The company headquarters is located in the Isle of Man, a small island in England. It was only in 2010 that Guinness recognized the Peel 50 as the world’s smallest car after Peel Engineering revived it.

This car is powered by a 49 cc four-stroke petrol or gasoline engine. The best this engine can deliver is 3.35 hp. There is an electric version of the Peel 50, which has a slightly lower 3.0 hp. This car has no 0-60 mph data simply because it can’t bring up more than 30 mph.

How Slow Is the Peel 50 Car?

Only at 28 mph. Some observers even claim that it can only go as fast as 24 mph. Peel Engineering ceased production of the Peel 50 in 1969. However, the company brought the car back in 2010. That was when Guinness gave its recognition as the world’s smallest car.

The Peel 50 is only 54 inches long, 41 inches wide, and 46.5 inches tall. There is one door on the left side, a windshield with a wiper, and one single headlight. This car has no reverse gear, but the driver can lug the car by hand using a rear handle if needed. It is only 130 pounds making it very easy to tow.

The latest version of the Peel 50 comes with a CVT transmission. Its old version comes with a three-speed transmission. The electric version has a top speed of 45 kph or 27.96 mph.

Peel 50 Specs- Slowest Car Worldwide

Here are the essential specifications of the Peel 50:

Powertrain

Engine Type – 4-Stroke gasoline
Displacement – 49 cc
Power – 3.35 hp.
Torque – 204.3 lb.-ft.
Transmission – 3-speed manual/CVT, no reverse
Fuel Efficiency – 118 mpg

Dimensions

Length – 54 inches
Width – 41 inches
Height – 46.5 inches
Wheelbase – 43 inches
Weight – 216 lbs.
Ground Clearance – 5 inches
Turning Circle – 14.11 inches

It may not be practical to many people to buy the world’s slowest car even if it is stamped with a Guinness Book of World Records. It may not be useful either, considering that it will cost you nearly $16,000 to get a new one. There are many used mid-range cars with more and better features.

That said, the Peel 50 has great advantages over your conventional car. Its fuel efficiency is superb at 118 mpg for the standard and 35 mpg for the electric version. It is really better and cheaper than walking – which is the motto of Peel Engineering. One thing more: it is so small that you can park it in your living room – if you don’t have space in the garage.

The Peel 50 may be the slowest car in the world, but there are other very slow cars out there.

9 Slowest Cars in the World

Below are 9 cars that can compete with the Peel 50 to be the world’s slowest:

1. Fiat Qubo Natural Power 1.4

How Fast does the slowest car in the World go

Another European carmaker, Fiat, produces one of the world’s slowest cars, the Fiat Qubo Natural Power 1.4. The engine that powers this small car belongs to Fiat’s FIRE-series gasoline engines. It can deliver a maximum of 76 hp. But even with that power, this car takes around 17.7 seconds to reach 60 mph from zero. It has a top speed of 92 mph.

This vehicle is typically used as a delivery van for small businesses. It is a front-wheel-drive car with a five-speed manual transmission. Its cabin amenities are excellent. There are a 5-inch touch screen and an audio system complete with six speakers inside the cabin. You can even connect the speakers from the Bluetooth system or through a USB.

2. Smart CDI

Another slow car in the world is the Smart CDI, one of the car models produced by the Smart car division of Daimler Benz. This is a rear-wheel and rear-engine car. A 45 hp turbocharged diesel engine provides power for this car. The transmission is semi-automatic. It takes 19.5 seconds for this car to reach 60 mph from zero.

Daimler is upgrading this car model to an all-electric lineup. It is also a tiny car with only a total length of 98.43 inches and a height of only 60.98 inches. But it is relatively heavy at 805 kilos or 365 pounds.

3. Maruti Suzuki Omni

The Maruti Suzuki Omni is another slow vehicle that can be rightfully considered one of the world’s slowest. It is a microvan manufactured by a Suzuki subsidiary in India, the Maruti Suzuki. The original version came with an inline-three engine like the Maruti 800 car.

This car needs 28 seconds to reach 60 mph from a standstill. But it’s a hardy tiny van that business owners in India have relied on. Its engine can provide 32.8 hp and 796 cc engine displacement. There are still many of these vehicles running in India and some parts of Asia.

4. Chevrolet CMV

Another slow car, the Chevrolet CMV, is built by one of the trusted names in commercial pickups and trucks. This vehicle is powered by an engine similar to the Maruti Suzuki Omni, with 32.8 hp with three cylinders and 796 cc engine displacement. It can only reach 60 mph from zero in 27 seconds with no payload on the bed.

This vehicle is actually a Suzuki Carry badge engineered as the Chevrolet CMV. These two vehicles are actually the same in specs and features. The Suzuki Carry is a Daewoo product that has already ceased production. This Chevy CMV is specifically made for the Central American and Tunisian markets.

5. Hindustan Ambassador

The Hindustan Ambassador is another slow car that can only reach 60 mph from a standstill in 28 seconds. Its slowness can be attributed to its low-powered Isuzu diesel engine, which can only deliver 52 hp. The displacement of this engine is 2 liters.

There are a lot of these vehicles in India. The original version of this vehicle was based on the Morris Oxford Series III’s design, which originated in the UK. Now, this vehicle is regarded as an Indian classic.

6. Tata Nano

One of the slowest cars and one of the cheapest in the world is Tata Nano. This vehicle is one of the most used in India. It is a compact car powered by a 37.5 hp with two cylinders and a 0.624-liter gasoline engine. This car requires 29.4 seconds to reach 60 mph from zero, earning its place amongst the world’s slowest cars.

This compact vehicle was the brainchild of Tata Motors Limited of India. They believed that India’s growing middle class needs cheap basic transportation. But their hopes did not take hold, and they ceased production of this vehicle in just 10 years. They said market demand did not justify its continuity.

7. MIA Electric Car

This is another compact car made in France by Mia Electric, a company that builds electric cars. It is a three-seater hatchback car that is already missing in action since 2013, meaning it has already stopped production. But that’s not the real meaning of MIA in this car. Its maker started building this car in 2011, but they have to cease production due to financial issues.

In terms of slowness, the MIA electric car needs 30 seconds to reach 60 mph from a standstill. It has this low capacity because of its small-sized engine. It is powered by an electric motor that can deliver a minuscule 13 hp.

But its maker claimed that it could reach up to 100 kph tops or 62 mph. It has a single-speed transmission and Lithium Ion Phosphate batteries. You can fully-charged its batteries in just about 3 hours and a total range of 80 miles. Unfortunately, the French didn’t buy into this car, so they eventually had to stop its production.

8. Renault Twizy

It seems that the French are fond of building slow cars. The Renault Twizy is also made in France, particularly by the Renault brand of vehicles. This is an electric ‘quadricycle’ two-seater car. Its power comes from an electric motor that can deliver only 5 hp.

So small is its engine that it can only achieve a top speed of 28 mph. A full charge of its electric engine can bring you up to 62 miles. But this car is dirt cheap at only €7,000 or $8,244.

The Renault Twizy has scissor-type doors that only open straight up. Its design engineers thought of making it like a go-cart. It has no trunk, pockets, and space under the rear seat. There are no windows in this very compact car, and there are no door locks either.

9. Aixam Coupe

This is another French-built small and slow car. It is also a ‘quadricycle’ car that can seat two. It is so slow that you don’t need a license to drive this car in France and England. But you have to be at least 16 years old. And you have to pass their moped test before you are allowed to drive one.

The reason for its slowness is the size of its engine. This car is powered by a 400 cc diesel engine that can deliver a maximum of 5.6 hp. Just like the Peel P50, its maximum speed is restricted to only 30 mph.

The Aixam Coupe is the first ‘no license’ car in Europe and maybe even worldwide. But it can provide the same driving convenience, absolutely no pollution, and complete operating silence. This electric car’s batteries will enable the driver to reach a maximum distance of 110 km or 68.4 miles.

Conclusion: What Is the Slowest Car in the World?

The Peel 50 is the slowest car in the world. Also, Guinness entered this car in its Book of World Records for being the world’s smallest car. The company that built the Peel 50 is Peel Engineering. This tiny car also made history for being the slowest in the world.

There are other cars that can also be considered the slowest in the world. They are the following:

Fiat Qubo Natural Power 1.4
Smart CDI
Maruti Suzuki Omni
Chevrolet CMV
Hindustan Ambassador
Tata Nano
MIA Electric Car
Renault Twizy
Aixam Coupe

Some of these cars are still being built and marketed by their respective manufacturers. Others have already ceased production because of depressed market demand. Many of these compact cars are still running the world’s streets, providing needed service to their owners.