Tuk Tuk USA gets DOT and EPA approval
Upon returning from a recent trip to Thailand, friends of ours related experiences of what it's like to travel on somewhat primitive roads in somewhat primitive vehicles. Disconcerting at first, but totally acceptable after a few trips prove that it's (relatively) safe. The vehicles of choice in Thailand, along with a bunch of other far-away locales, are Tuk Tuks, three-wheeled machines that marry the front end of a scooter to the rear end of a passenger car. Soon, you'll be able to get one in America.
We just got an email message from Tuk Tuk North America informing us that the company has officially been granted both DOT and EPA approval for its line of Mitsubishi-powered three-wheelers. This means that the Tuk Tuk will be completely road legal here in the United States. We're not so sure you'd want to drive one cross-country (though we understand it's fully capable of such trips), but as an around-town errand-runner, the little scoots might work out just fine, returning an estimated 55 miles per gallon.
The Tuk Tuk will come in many different styles, ranging from a three-passenger model up to the 12-passenger hauler. In addition to the passenger vehicles, there's a pick-up truck, dump truck, garbage truck (!), flatbed, van and even a bare chassis for DIY projects, with prices starting at just under $10,000.
[Source: Tuk Tuk USA]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
collegekid13 7:32PM (4/15/2009)
no way they make that into a garbage truck. that would make my month if i ever saw a tuktuk trash truck
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nighttime__ 12:51AM (4/16/2009)
tuk tuk vs zamboni! round 1! FIGHT.
Judy Zik 8:09AM (4/16/2009)
Hop on a plane. They use these as everything from trash trucks to school buses in India. They may not be suited for highway driving but for a taxi getting around urban gridlock they work really well. You haven't lived until you have had a ride in one of these on the crazy streets of Mumbai or Surat. The best part is it generally ended up costing all of 50 cents. Of course they would be of little use in Northern Climates in the winter.
Rboyett 9:20AM (4/16/2009)
@JudyZik
You're dead on right. Earlier in the year, I road auto rickshaws all over Mumbai.
The traffic was insane but our drivers got us from point A to B with no fuss.
There were TukTuk pickups, dump trucks, busses, etc, etc.
Oh, and all of them ran on CNG.
However, TukTuk has a problem here. There is no way those things are going to sell for $10k in the US. A new TukTuk in India only goes for less than $2000 US.
James 12:32PM (4/16/2009)
Tuk Tuk...
Yuk! Yuk!
KeatMP 7:32PM (4/15/2009)
Having a second wheel on the front would sure make it less prone to rolling over. I think it would be a good golf-cart replacement at the beach but that's about it.
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montoym 11:46AM (4/16/2009)
That 4th wheel would also suddenly make it a car in the eyes of the US Gov't and therefore would subject it to all the safety regulations and crash standards of other cars sold in the US which it would have no hope of passing.
Despite that huge roadblock, the cost of redesigning the vehicle with a 4th wheel for the US market would also likely constitute a fairly significant cost that would not easily be made up. Do you honestly see them selling many of these at a cost of $10K+? Consider how many other options exist in that price range.
Tim 7:33PM (4/15/2009)
10 grand for a three wheeled scooter seems like a heck of a lot.
Geez, just buy a used econo car for half that price. 5 grand will buy a lot of gas.
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RJ 10:06PM (4/15/2009)
And the thing is, that 3-wheeler probably costs $1500 US in Thailand.
Steve 9:39AM (4/16/2009)
Here in Canada, you could buy a decent RHD Mazda FD3S RX-7, a Nissan Skyline BNR32 GT-R, or a Toyota Supra JZA80 (Mark IV) Supra Non Turbo for that money.
Agreed, it's too damned expensive.
Yar 7:36PM (4/15/2009)
Wasn't one of these in Cruis'n World on N64?
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montoym 11:52AM (4/16/2009)
I think so.
I also remember them from Burnout3 on PS2. I think they were in many of the Far East parts of the game, but I only really played the crash modes and I took out possibly millions of them over the time I played that game. That certainly was a fun mode.
Derek Jones 7:37PM (4/15/2009)
Tut Tut, isn't that a Piaggio?
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Sharkie 1:09PM (4/16/2009)
Derek --- you're right --- after an exhausting search for the picture of that girl on the Tuk Tuk site (like a few others on here were doing lol), I followed your lead in the google image search --- and bingo:
http://autozonemadhepura.blogspot.com/2008/10/piaggio-ape-introduction.html
It's the Piaggio "Ape" 3-wheeler.
Much nicer looking than the clunky Tuk-Tuks.
And much more likely to attract smokin' hot Blondes in Mediterranean Ports-of-Call, apparently........
UCJR 9:30PM (4/15/2009)
A friend has a Harley-Davidson three-wheel golf cart, and it's a bitch to actually drive because if you turn too fast, you end up on TWO wheels.
Unless this TukTuk (Tucks Pads?) leans into turns or something, I can see a LOT of people putting them on their sides.
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Fritz 10:09PM (4/15/2009)
Check out the positive camber, too. It's ready to go.
frankie 7:39PM (4/15/2009)
Very appropriate considering we are becoming a third world country.
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Ben 1:23AM (4/16/2009)
Really???
I've got blazing fast internet, reliable electricity and sewage systems, the street out front of my apartment was just re-paved, there's a 40-story tower going up down the street, the company I work for has dozens of job vacancies, I could go on and on.
Yeah we've got problems like our insane deficit, national debt, some failing industries that will require some difficult transitions, etc. But we ARE NOT on our way to becoming 3rd world country.
knightuc1992 7:16AM (4/16/2009)
Ben:
"But we ARE NOT on our way to becoming 3rd world country."
You underestimate the resolve of our elected officials....
"Democrats and Republicans - working together to bring third-world prosperity for all..."
Rich 12:36PM (4/16/2009)
Yeah, Democrats and Republicans. What have they ever done for us? And I don't want to hear anything about viaducts, you sympathizers!