Slowest Cars in the World: Best Options for City Living

Slowest cars in the world might not have the power and performance that most car lovers want, but they offer a lot of fun and patient driving. They are popular options among those who need to navigate crowded city streets or drivers who need a car for public transportation.

Most of the world’s slowest cars are microcars and hybrids, and they are not suitable for the highways or winning races. Let’s take a closer look at some of the slowest automobiles in the world that are still practical and interesting to drive. 

Ultimate List Of The Slowest Cars in the World 

Aside from being very slow, the slowest vehicles on this list are known for their quirky appearances and will be great for moving through traffic rather than speeding through the open road.

Here are the top 16 slowest vehicles in the world. 

1. Peel P50 

At the top of our list is the Peel P50, which is a three-wheeled microcar with a top speed of 38 miles per hour. The car won the Guinness World Record for being the smallest car ever made, as it consists of one door, one seat, one light, and one windshield wiper. It is designed to hold onto adults and their shopping bags, so it weighs 230 pounds.

The engine is a 4.2-hp 49cc single-cylinder 2-stroke scooter mooter which is linked to a 3-speed manual. It does not have a reverse gear. Instead, it has a handle on the rear that the driver can use to pick the car up and maneuver it. Despite being so small and slow, the P50 is quite expensive to purchase. 

2. Renault Twizy 45

Another really small car that you can consider buying is the Renault Twizy 45, which is a two-seat electric microcar. It is a light quadricycle with a top speed of 28 miles per hour. The car was first released in 2009 as a concept car for the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. By 2012, it was released to the French market. 

It features an electric motor with 4kW. You can also consider the Twizy 80, which is a bit heavier and faster, with an electric motor of 13kW. The Twizy 45 is also a small-sized car at 2.32 meters, but it’s so slow that most European countries allow 14-year-olds to drive it with a special license. It has two seats and can go 43 miles on a full charge.

3. Citroen AX Electrique 

Next on our list of the slowest vehicles in the world is the Citroen AX Electrique, which can go as fast as 57 miles per hour. It is an electric vehicle that was first released in 1993 in France and is powered by an 11hw DC electric motor. With a full charge, it can go as far as 50 miles.

The AX Electrique is a small electric vehicle with a hatchback and three doors. It also features front-wheel drive as the traction. The 12-volt battery that powers the vehicle paved the way for the other electric vehicles released by Citroen in 1996, like the Saco Electrique. 

4. Fiat Seicento Elettra

Most slow cars on this list are electric vehicles like the Fiat Seicento Elettra, which was released in 2003 for economical use. It is a rear-wheeled electric vehicle that is designed with only an accelerator and a brake, with no clutch. It ended up being one of the slowest vehicles in the world, with a maximum speed of 62 miles per hour.

The production of the Seicento Elettra was stopped in 2010. It was then rebranded as the Fiat 600 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the initial model. The Seicento Elettra featured a four-seat capability and a rear luggage area. The battery pack takes about 8 hours to charge and will last for up to 56 miles. 

5. Suzuki Super Carry Family 1990 

If you’re looking for a slow car that can carry more passengers, you should consider the Suzuki Super Carry Family 1990, which was first released in 1961. It is a front-wheeled minivan that was released by the Suzuki brand as part of its Carry range which consists of other vehicles. It could achieve a top speed of 68 miles per hour.

Despite being an old car, you can find different versions of this vehicle. The Family version is an eight-seater vehicle with two seats behind the front seats, which is used as a form of public transportation. Then, the Cargo model can also be purchased with hatchbacks and sliding backdoors. This slow car is popular in India as taxis or public transportation. 

6. Hindustan Ambassador

The Hindustan Ambassador was initially released in 1954 but was so popular that its production eventually stopped in 2014. It gained a lot of popularity in India and was dubbed the ‘King of Indian Roads’ due to this. Despite being a popular option, it is also quite slow, with a top speed of 87 miles an hour.

The Ambassador drove with 75bhp on 5000 rpm, which made it perfect for traffic-packed Indian roads. There were seven generations of the Ambassador, with the first one powered by a 1,489cc 1.5l I4 engine. Currently, Hindustan Motors and Peugeot are working on the comeback of the Ambassador as an electric vehicle in 2024.

7. BMW Isetta 250

If you’re interested in a vintage car, you can consider the Isetta 250, also called the bubble car. If you see this car today, you’ll call it a micro-mobility vehicle. But when it was first released in the 1950s, it gained a lot of popularity and saved the BMW brand from bankruptcy. It has a top speed of 53 miles per hour.

8. Reliant Robin LX

Next on our list is the Reliant Robin LX which is designed with one tire in the front and two at the rear, making it look more like a tricycle. The vehicle was produced in England and was part of the SLX, BRG, and Royale models from Reliant Robin in 1989, except it has a revamped appearance. 

The LX was so slow that it took 15.2 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. Not only this, but its maximum speed is 60 miles per hour, so it won’t be going anywhere. The size of the LX is similar to a small car, but since it’s a three-wheeler and has a mass of 992 pounds, it was driven by those in the UK with a lower-category driving license. 

9. Tata Nano

Another car that was well-loved for its affordable price and use in busy cities is the Tata Nano. This car was designed to be a compact city car used on the busy streets of India. It was targeted toward motorcycle and scooter users since it was fitted with an affordable rear-engine hatchback. 

Unintentionally, it also became one of the slowest automobiles in the world, with a maximum speed of 65 miles per hour. It also has a power of 37bhp at 5500 rpm. The lack of features of this car made it a cheap option for many people in India, and there was also a low amount of steel used in its construction. Due to this, it was nicknamed The People’s Car.

10. Aro Spartana

The Aro Spartana is another option that you can look at when considering the slowest vehicles in the world. It is a petrol coupe cabriolet that can go as fast as 68 miles per hour and produces 54 horses at 5300 rpm. It was produced from 1999 to 2006 and is a mini SUV.

The Spartana SUV made use of a gasoline engine and was designed with four seats. It was based on the Aro 10, which was discontinued in 1999. There are also different varieties of this vehicle, many of which were exported, but the slow speed and low power make it one of the slowest automobiles globally. 

11. Aixam Coupe 

The list of the slowest vehicles in the world won’t be complete without mentioning the Aixam Coupe. This is a light quadricycle carped coupe that seats two people. It is powered by a 400cc two-cylinder diesel engine with a meager production of 5.6hp. Its maximum speed is 30 miles per hour, making it one of the slowest automobiles in the world.

The Coupe is so slow that in the UK, drivers don’t require a license to drive it. Also, kids of 16 years can drive it as long as they pass the Moped and CBT tests. It makes use of automatic transmission, with two seats and two doors. There were also electrical versions of the car.

12. MIA Electric Car

Another electric automobile that is really slow is the MIA, which is a 3-seater plug-in electric vehicle. It works with an electric motor that can be charged fully in up to three hours, and you can drive up to 80 miles on this. The car has a very slow time to get from 0 to 60 mph, which is 30 seconds.

The French car was manufactured in the 2010s and was powered by a 9.7kW electric motor with an 8 kWh battery pack that offers a maximum speed of 62 miles per hour. In 2013, the car was stopped due to financial problems of the company. 

13. Chevrolet CMV 

Although the CMV is more of a commercial pickup vehicle than your everyday car, it is still one of the slowest vehicles in the world. If there is no shipment or payload in the car, it can go from 0 to 60 mph in 27 seconds. The car also produces a maximum power of 37 horses.

It is powered by a small 796cc 0.8-liter 3-cylinder engine which is quite small and will be ideal for transporting goods from one place to another. It can also fit up to seven passengers. The van was built from 1991 to 2013 in its Korean factories and distributed in other countries. It would be quite difficult to get a van in the United States.

14. Maruti Suzuki Omni 

Another commercial car that looks more like a bus is the Omni, a very slow vehicle that fits the traffic-packed roads of India. It is one of the most popular commercial vehicles in India, but that also means it’s pretty slow. It can reach up to 60 miles per hour from 0 in 20 seconds. 

The Omni was powered by a 0.8-liter, in-line engine that gives off 32.8bhp. The commercial vehicle is still available for sale, especially in India, and is mostly used as a form of public transportation or for shipping. The car has a maximum speed of about 80 miles per hour, making it one of the slowest in the world.

15. Fiat Qubo Natural Power 1.4 

The Natural Power 1.4 is next on our list as one of the slowest automobiles, especially in Europe. The car has a maximum power of 76 horses, possible with its FIRE-series gasoline engine. With this, it takes about 18 seconds to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour. It was in production from 2008 to 2016 and was available in a minivan and MVP body types.

The Natural Power 1.4 vehicle was designed with five seats and five doors and was powered by a naturally aspirated engine with multi-point indirect injection. It also features front-wheel drive. It can achieve a maximum of 96 miles per hour which is ironically one of the highest on this list.

16. Smart Fortwo CDI

Rounding up our list is a smart car, the Smart For Two CDI. It is a rear-engine, rear-wheel drive vehicle that has been produced from 1998 till now through three generations. It was initially only a 2-passenger city car, but it also has a four-door version. The car is most popular in Europe, with a maximum speed of 84 miles per hour, which makes it ideal for busy roads. 

The Fortwo CDI in the third generation is powered by a 0.9-liter M281 Turbo I3 or a 1.0-liter M291 petrol I3. There is also a 66 kW synchronous electronic motor that makes it a hybrid system. The vehicle can achieve 60 mph from 0 in 19.5 seconds, making it one of the slowest automobiles worldwide.

Conclusion 

Some of the slowest cars in the world can still be purchased, and you can enjoy the ride, while others can either be kept as vintage cars or have been discontinued. Here’s a summary of our article on really slow cars:

• Peel P50 is one of the slowest vehicles and the smallest car in the world, with a maximum speed of 28 mph and enough space for a passenger and their bag.
• Twizy 45 is a very slow electric vehicle that debuted in 2009, with a maximum speed of 28 mph and an electric motor power of 4 kW.
• Citroen AX Electrique was first released in 1993 and is a very electric slow car with a top speed of 57 mph and a motor that lasts up to 50 miles at full charge.
• Fiat Seicento Elettra is a rear-wheeled electric vehicle with no clutch, only a brake and accelerator, and a maximum speed of 62 mph.

If you’re in the market for a very slow car, you can check any of the cars on our list that are still in production. These cars will definitely be ideal for busy roads with a lot of traffic. 

References 

• https://p50cars.com/
• https://www.renaultgroup.com/en/news-on-air/news/all-there-is-to-know-about-renault-twizy/

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