The automobile industry has seen a tremendous growth after the introduction of internal combustion engines. The first automobile constructed in the late 19th century was horse carriages with horse replaced with engines. Since then the development of the automobiles has seen the peek and modern automobiles offers the mobility and flexibility to the lifestyles of people in today’s world.
Automobiles can be classified into different types based on several criteria:
1. Classification based on purpose of use of automobile:
- Passenger vehicles: Passenger automobiles such as buses, trains, cars carry passengers.
- Goods vehicles: Good vehicles such as goods lorry, goods carrier are used in transportation of goods from one place to another.
2. Classification based on fuel source used in automobiles:
- Petrol engine vehicles: Automobiles that are powered by petrol engines such as scooters, cars, motorcycles
- Diesel engine vehicles: Automobiles that are powered by diesel engine such as trucks and buses
- Gas vehicles: Vehicles such as turbine powered cars use gas turbine as power sources
- Solar vehicles: Vehicles such as solar powered cars are powered by solar power
- Electric vehicles: Vehicles that use electricity as power sources – such as – electric cars and buses
- Steam engine vehicles: Vehicles such as steam boat, steam locomotive steam wagon are powered by steam engine
- Hybrid vehicles: Vehicles that use two or more distinct power sources such as hybrid buses and hybrid cars like Toyota Insight
- Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV): Automobiles such as Jaguar C-X75 uses both internal Combustion Engine and Electric Power source to propel itself.
- Hydrogen vehicles: Vehicles such as Honda FCX clarity have hydrogen as power source
3. Classification of automobiles based on capacity:
- Heavy Motor Vehicle (HMV): Vehicles such as trucks and buses which are large and bulky
- Medium vehicles: Relatively medium sized vehicles such as small trucks and mini buses
- Light Motor Vehicle (LMV): Vehicles such as cars and jeeps are small motor vehicles
4. Classification of automobiles based on type of transmission:
- Automatic transmission vehicles: Automobiles those are capable of changing gear ratios automatically as they move such as Automatic Transmission Cars
- Conventional transmission vehicles: Automobiles which as gear ratios to be changed manually
- Semi-automatic transmission vehicles: Vehicles which facilitate manual gear changing with clutch pedal
5. Classification of automobiles based on number of wheels:
- Two wheelers: Are Vehicles which have two wheels such as scooters, motorcycles
- Three wheelers: Are vehicles which have three wheels such as Auto rickshaws
- Four wheelers: Are vehicles which have four wheels such as car and jeep
- Six wheelers: Are vehicles generally used for heavy transportation such as trucks and buses have six wheels
6. Classification of automobile based on the side of driver’s seat:
- Left hand drive automobile: Vehicles in countries such as USA and Russia have the steering wheel fitted on the left hand side.
- Right hand drive automobile: Vehicles in countries such as India and Australia have the steering wheel fitted on the left hand side.