A Fiat 500 on three wheels? It's not a prototype, nor an engineering joke, nor a zany workshop creation. In Germany, a truly homologated Fiat 500 "Ellenator" is currently for sale on a famous classified ads site, at a price of €25,900. A serious price for a very special car, capable of being driven from the age of 16... but which also raises real safety issues.
A Fiat 500 like any other... or almost.
At first glance, this 2021 Fiat 500 has a familiar silhouette. Red paint, black upholstery, full equipment and just 18,400 kilometers on the clock: nothing to suggest a radical transformation. And yet, as you approach the rear, the visual shock is immediate. Where you'd expect to find a conventional rear axle, you'll find two small wheels, very close together, almost glued together.
The modification was carried out by the Austrian company Ellenator, which specializes in converting cars into approved tricycles for young drivers. The rear track has been reduced to less than 46 centimetres, to bring the vehicle into the legal category of heavy quadricycles in Germany. As a result, the car can be legally driven from the age of 16 with an A1 license.
Regulatory sleight of hand
Under the hood, the deception continues to be very serious. The Fiat 500's 1.0-liter engine is electronically limited to 20 hp, while the maximum speed is limited to 90 km/h. Technically, the vehicle remains a car in its own right. Legally, it becomes a quadricycle. A strange paradox that allows very young drivers to drive anywhere, even on freeways in Germany, with four passengers. This architecture is reminiscent of three-wheeled concepts such as Mister Bean's famous Reliant Regal Supervan III van, or Peugeot's futuristic prototypes. But here, it's not about design or spectacle: it's an intelligent solution for getting around a very specific legal framework.
A strange car... not so reassuring
However ingenious, this metamorphosis is not without consequences. The abrupt reduction in rear width profoundly alters the vehicle's roadholding. The Fiat 500 Ellenator remains comfortable, well soundproofed and infinitely more protective than a micro-vehicle like a Renault Twizy or Citroën Ami, but its balance is much more precarious. When cornering, caution becomes an absolute rule. The center of gravity remains that of a real car, but the rear end is more reminiscent of a three-wheeler. A discrepancy that can surprise... and sometimes betray.
It's no coincidence that ADAC, the French motoring association, has taken a close look at these very special vehicles. In its 2018 comparative tests, the Fiat 500 Ellenator was pitted against the Twizy and the Aixam City Diesel. Verdict: while the other two models were judged insufficient overall in terms of safety, the Ellenator fared a little better thanks to the Fiat 500's original equipment. Airbags, rigid structure, increased protection: on paper, it's the best performer. But not everything is rosy.
In evasive tests, the Ellenator showed a worrying tendency to tip over, a direct consequence of its structural transformation. ADAC believes that this modification exploits a legislative loophole, and that its effects on roadholding are sufficiently serious to warrant a rethink of the regulatory framework. The organization strongly advises parents not to consider this type of vehicle as a totally safe alternative, despite its full bodywork and reassuring automotive appearance.
Priced at €25,900, this Fiat 500 Ellenator offered for sale in Germany is no simple do-it-yourself project. It's a perfectly legal, reversible and well-maintained vehicle. Once you've obtained your B driving license, the conversion can be reversed to return a standard Fiat 500.
English 
French 
Italian 
Spanish 
Portuguese 
German 
Japanese 
Turkish 
Dutch