Classification of Automobiles

An automobile is a vehicle that is capable of propelling itself. Since the 17th century, several attempts have been made to design and construct a practically operative automobile.

Today, automobiles play a crucial role in the social, economic and industrial growth of any country.
After the designing of Internal Combustion Engines, the Automobile industries has seen a tremendous growth.

Classification of Automobiles:

Automobiles can be classified into several types based on many criteria. A brief classification of automobiles is listed below:

1. Based on Purpose :

Passenger vehicles: These vehicles carry passengers. e.g., buses, cars, and passenger trains.
Goods vehicles: These vehicles carry goods from one place to another place. e.g: Goods lorry, Goods carrier.
Special Purpose: These vehicles include ambulances, Fire engines, and Army Vehicles.

2. Based on Load Capacity:

Light duty vehicles: Small motor vehicles. eg: Car, jeep, Scooter, Motorcycle
Heavy duty vehicles: large and bulky motor vehicles. e.g: Bus, Truck, Tractor.

3. Based on fuel used:

Petrol engine vehicles: Automobiles powered by a petrol engine. e.g: scooters, cars, motorcycles.
Diesel engine vehicles: Automobiles powered by diesel engine. e.g: Trucks, Buses, Tractors.
Gas vehicles: Vehicles that use gas turbine as a power source. e.g: Turbine powered cars.
Electric vehicles: Automobiles that use electricity as a power source. e.g: Electric cars, electric buses.
Steam Engine vehicles: Automobiles powered by steam engine. e.g: Steamboat, steam locomotive, steam wagon.

4. Based on Drive of the vehicles:

Left-Hand drive: Steering wheel fitted on the left-hand side.
Right-Hand drive: Steering wheel fitted on the right-hand side.
Fluid drive: Vehicles employing torque converter, fluid flywheel or hydramatic transmission.

5. Based on number of wheels and axles:

Two wheeler: motorcycles, scooters
Three-wheelers: Tempo, auto-rickshaws
Four-wheeler: car, Jeep, Bus, truck
Six-wheelers: Buses and trucks have six tires out of which four are carried on the rear wheels for additional reaction.
Six axle wheeler: Dodge(10 tire) vehicle

6. Based on type of Transmission:

Automatic transmission vehicles: Automobiles that are capable of changing gear ratios automatically as they move. e.g: Automatic Transmission Cars.
Manual transmission vehicles: Automobiles whose gear ratios have to be changed manually.
Semi-automatic transmission vehicles: Vehicles that facilitate manual gear changing with a clutch pedal.

7. Based on the Suspension system used:

Convectional – Leaf Spring
Independent – Coil spring, Torsion bar, Pneumatic.