HMV Freeway
Encyclopedia
The H-M-Vehicles Free-Way was a three wheel microcar
manufactured in Burnsville, Minnesota
, from 1979 to 1982.
These small commuter cars had a single seat and were powered by a 12 or 16 horsepower
gasoline
engine
or a 4 hp electric motor
. A diesel engine was offered, but none were ordered with it.
The 12 HP version was guaranteed to get 100 miles per US gallon when driven at a steady 40 mi/h. The 12 HP version averaged 80 miles per US gallon, and the larger 16 hp averaged 60 miles per US gallon to 70 miles per US gallon. The standard fuel tank had a capacity of 3 gallons (11.4 l) while a 9 gallons (34.1 l) tank was optional.
The engine (or motor) was mounted behind the driver and was coupled to a snowmobile
-style CVT
belt drive transmission. The gasoline-powered Free-Way did not have a reverse gear in its transmission. An electrically powered reverse drive was offered as an option, but was never made available.
The Free-Way had a welded tubular steel frame, with a secondary perimeter frame at bumper height to protect the driver from impacts. Suspension was fully independent, with two wheels in front and a single chain drive
n wheel in the rear. The fully enclosed two-piece fiberglass
body was approximately 0.125 inches (3.2 mm) thick and had the colour molded into the material and was available in high-visibility red, yellow, or orange. The lower body included a full undertray to reduce the drag coefficient of the vehicle.
The Free-Way had a single headlight and per federal standards were intended to be licensed as motorcycle
s but in some states they were titled as cars.
About 700 Free-Ways were sold before the company closed in June 1982.
Microcar
A microcar is the smallest automobile classification usually applied to standard small car . Such small cars were generally referred to as cyclecars until the 1940s. More recent models are also called bubblecars due to their egg-shaped appearance.-Definition:The definition of a microcar has varied...
manufactured in Burnsville, Minnesota
Burnsville, Minnesota
Burnsville is a city south of downtown Minneapolis in Dakota County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River...
, from 1979 to 1982.
These small commuter cars had a single seat and were powered by a 12 or 16 horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
or a 4 hp electric motor
Brushed DC electric motor
A brushed DC motor is an internally commutated electric motor designed to be run from a direct current power source.-Simple two-pole DC motor:The following graphics illustrate a simple, two-pole, brushed, DC motor.DC Motor Rotation...
. A diesel engine was offered, but none were ordered with it.
The 12 HP version was guaranteed to get 100 miles per US gallon when driven at a steady 40 mi/h. The 12 HP version averaged 80 miles per US gallon, and the larger 16 hp averaged 60 miles per US gallon to 70 miles per US gallon. The standard fuel tank had a capacity of 3 gallons (11.4 l) while a 9 gallons (34.1 l) tank was optional.
The engine (or motor) was mounted behind the driver and was coupled to a snowmobile
Snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
-style CVT
Continuously variable transmission
A continuously variable transmission is a transmission that can change steplessly through an infinite number of effective gear ratios between maximum and minimum values. This contrasts with other mechanical transmissions that offer a fixed number of gear ratios...
belt drive transmission. The gasoline-powered Free-Way did not have a reverse gear in its transmission. An electrically powered reverse drive was offered as an option, but was never made available.
The Free-Way had a welded tubular steel frame, with a secondary perimeter frame at bumper height to protect the driver from impacts. Suspension was fully independent, with two wheels in front and a single chain drive
Chain drive
Chain drive is a way of transmitting mechanical power from one place to another. It is often used to convey power to the wheels of a vehicle, particularly bicycles and motorcycles...
n wheel in the rear. The fully enclosed two-piece fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
body was approximately 0.125 inches (3.2 mm) thick and had the colour molded into the material and was available in high-visibility red, yellow, or orange. The lower body included a full undertray to reduce the drag coefficient of the vehicle.
The Free-Way had a single headlight and per federal standards were intended to be licensed as motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s but in some states they were titled as cars.
About 700 Free-Ways were sold before the company closed in June 1982.
External links
- http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/freewayhmv/
- Freeway Reunion, Autos & Parts For Sale