Photo: David Welton/Facebook Marketplace
When talking about three-wheeled vehicles, the Morgan Three-Wheeler is the first vehicle I think of. To me, it's one of the coolest sports cars designed in Britain. The Reliant Supervan also pops into my head, obviously due to its extended appearance in the British TV comedy "Mr. Bean."
But this blurb isn't about quirky vans or sporty three-wheelers. I'm here to show you a tiny EV that's cute as a bug. Meet the Taylor-Dunn Trident, a golf cart-like vehicle designed in an era when US automakers were creating increasingly bigger and more luxurious automobiles.
Launched in 1959, the Trident was a fully-fledged microcar at only 84 inches (2.1 meters) long and 42 inches (1.06 meters) wide. But unlike European microcars like the Messerschmitt KR200, BMW Isetta, and Peel P50, the Trident relied on battery power to move about. Featuring a fiberglass body and a steel frame, the Trident weighed 730 pounds (331 kg).
The 24-volt motor provided a range of less than 15 miles, pushing the cart toward a top speed of 16 mph (26 kph). Far from impressive by modern standards, but not bad for a 1950s vehicle described as a "shopping car."
Equipped with headlamps, taillights, and turn signals, the two-seater was fully road-legal at the time. Taylor-Dunn produced the Trident until 1963. And while some didn't make it to 2024, a few examples have survived in very good condition. This 1961 example is one of them. And if you're looking to stroll around the neighborhood in one, it's available in Long Beach, California.
The EV looks too good to be a fully-fledged survivor, so it's safe to say it was restored at some point. The ad doesn't provide much info, but the Trident appears to be complete. The reverse switch needs "a small fix," but everything else works as it should. It's not a storage vehicle either, as the Trident has been used "several times a week on cruises to the park and around town."
If electric microcars with a personality are your thing, this Taylor-Dunn Trident will switch homes for $7,000. It's not exactly cheap for a niche cart, but these Tridents are rare, and I've seen them go for more than that.
If you're unfamiliar with Taylor-Dunn, the company was established in Anaheim, California, in 1949 by a farmer named R. D. Taylor Sr. He initially built hand carts to use while feeding his chickens. In 1951, he built his first electric truck. That's when Fred A. Dunn joined the firm, which became Taylor-Dunn Manufacturing Company in 1952.
In 1992, the company introduced the Electruck and reached annual sales of $25 million. It was purchased by Polaris in 2016 and then became part of Waev Inc. Taylor-Dunn is still headquartered in Anaheim and produces a variety of electric utility vehicles, including burden carriers, stock chasers, and personnel carriers.
Launched in 1959, the Trident was a fully-fledged microcar at only 84 inches (2.1 meters) long and 42 inches (1.06 meters) wide. But unlike European microcars like the Messerschmitt KR200, BMW Isetta, and Peel P50, the Trident relied on battery power to move about. Featuring a fiberglass body and a steel frame, the Trident weighed 730 pounds (331 kg).
The 24-volt motor provided a range of less than 15 miles, pushing the cart toward a top speed of 16 mph (26 kph). Far from impressive by modern standards, but not bad for a 1950s vehicle described as a "shopping car."
Equipped with headlamps, taillights, and turn signals, the two-seater was fully road-legal at the time. Taylor-Dunn produced the Trident until 1963. And while some didn't make it to 2024, a few examples have survived in very good condition. This 1961 example is one of them. And if you're looking to stroll around the neighborhood in one, it's available in Long Beach, California.
The EV looks too good to be a fully-fledged survivor, so it's safe to say it was restored at some point. The ad doesn't provide much info, but the Trident appears to be complete. The reverse switch needs "a small fix," but everything else works as it should. It's not a storage vehicle either, as the Trident has been used "several times a week on cruises to the park and around town."
If electric microcars with a personality are your thing, this Taylor-Dunn Trident will switch homes for $7,000. It's not exactly cheap for a niche cart, but these Tridents are rare, and I've seen them go for more than that.
If you're unfamiliar with Taylor-Dunn, the company was established in Anaheim, California, in 1949 by a farmer named R. D. Taylor Sr. He initially built hand carts to use while feeding his chickens. In 1951, he built his first electric truck. That's when Fred A. Dunn joined the firm, which became Taylor-Dunn Manufacturing Company in 1952.
In 1992, the company introduced the Electruck and reached annual sales of $25 million. It was purchased by Polaris in 2016 and then became part of Waev Inc. Taylor-Dunn is still headquartered in Anaheim and produces a variety of electric utility vehicles, including burden carriers, stock chasers, and personnel carriers.
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