Cyclecars were propelled by engines with a
single cylinder or
V-twin configuration (or occasionally a
three or
four cylinder engine), which were often air-cooled. Sometimes
motorcycle engines were used, in which case the motorcycle gearbox was also used. All cyclecars were required to have clutches and variable gears. This requirement could be fulfilled by even the simplest devices such as provision for slipping the belt on the pulley to act as a clutch, and varying of the pulley diameter to change the gear ratio. Methods such as
belt drive or
chain drive were used to transmit power to the drive wheel(s), often to one wheel only, so that no
differential was required. The bodies were lightweight and sometimes offered minimal weather protection or comfort features. The rise of cyclecars was a direct result of reduced taxation both for registration and annual licences of lightweight small-engined cars. On 14 December 1912, at a meeting of the Federation Internationale des Clubs Moto Cycliste, it was formally decided that there should be an international classification of cyclecars to be accepted by the United Kingdom, Canada, United States, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Austria and Germany. As a result of this meeting, the following classes of cyclecars were defined: == Origins ==