Spotted: this Fiat 500 is a three-wheeler

In the German town of Lauf an der Pegnitz, we came across this Fiat 500. In itself, of course, a Fiat 500 is nothing special, but look at those rear wheels. Those are almost in the middle of the car. Those who regularly visit Germany may have seen such creations, as such a conversion happens more often. It goes without saying that a very narrow rear axle does not improve handling, yet there is a good reason the conversion is relatively popular.

Driving a car from the age of sixteen

Because the rear wheels are now so close together, the Fiat 500 has become a three-wheeler by law. In addition, the engine power is electronically limited to only 15 kW (20 hp) and the top speed is therefore only about 90 km/h. That’s fast enough to still be allowed on the highway, though.

The benefit of all this? Because of these restrictions, you can already drive the car with driver’s license A1, which you can get in Germany from the age of 16. The “tricycle” may of course be driven with a B driver’s license. German driving license classes 1b and 3 also qualify, as does the old category 4 license if obtained before April 1, 1980.

Although the A1 driver’s license is valid throughout Europe, the regulations surrounding it do vary slightly from country to country. For example, you can get the A1 driving license in the Netherlands “only” from the age of 18. You can also drive this “three-wheeler” in the Netherlands with an A1 license, but you don’t have the age advantage here.

Ellenator

These German “tricycles” are called Ellenators and are a creation of Wenzel Ellenrieder, owner of the garage company of the same name in Dösingen. In 2013, the requirements around driving a three-wheeler with A1 license were widened. As a result, Ellenrieder saw an opportunity to convert certain cars to qualify as “three-wheelers” for the A1 driver’s license.

It began with Ellenrieder wanting to build his son a vehicle that would be safer than a moped, moped or light motorcycle. He already had a lot of experience with the three-wheeled Piaggio Ape and decided in 2023 to try something like this “in the big picture,” now that it was also possible in terms of legislation. In late 2014, Ellenrieder received type approval for his creation, and a small series production started in 2015. Soon there appeared to be plenty of demand, especially in regions where public transportation is lacking.

From VAG to Fiat

The first Ellenators were built based on VAG’s A04/PQ24 platform, the platform of the SEAT Ibiza, Skoda Fabia and Volkswagen Polo, among others. In 2017, Ellenrieder switched to the Fiat 500, which is basically the only Ellenator still available. Occasionally, the technically related Ford Ka has also been converted. By the way, the Ellenator is patented, so other manufacturers cannot simply offer a similar conversion.

This is how the Fiat 500 becomes a three-wheeler

Briefly, the conversion works as follows. The standard rear axle is removed. In its place is a new suspension structure, which is simply attached to the original rear axle points. It also retains the original shock absorbers and suspension. To accommodate the center-mounted wheels, a new wheel arch is created in the center of the luggage compartment. The original wheel arches are streamlined closed on the outside with a piece of sheet metal.

Suspension photos: www.ellenator-gmbh.de

Ellenator with ABS, ESP and airbags

All the features of the standard Fiat 500 are retained. Even the ABS and ESP continue to work as usual. The only thing to consider is that the Ellenator’s payload is still only 300 kg. That has to do with the new suspension; for the driver’s license, the tricycle has no weight limit.

Do you also want an Ellenator?

In the Netherlands, as mentioned, an Ellenator offers no benefits. Would you still like to have one? So then you have to go to Germany. Buy a Fiat 500 there from the specific dealer Ellenrieder works with and drop it off at his dealership. If you transfer over 6,000 euros to him, he will rebuild the Fiat for you. So it’s still quite an investment for a 16-year-old, but then you’ll be driving a full-size car nicely instead of a moped. For more information, visit the Ellenator website.

Careful attention, though…

As mentioned, the very narrow rear axle does not benefit the car’s handling. Two wheels close together are still always better than one rear wheel, but at higher speeds stability remains something to consider. Engine power may still be only 20 hp, but at speeds reaching 90 km/h, such a car can still become quite unstable. Just by Googling the Ellenator in general, you’ll come across plenty of news articles about overturned Ellenators….