Today, EVs, either fully electric or hybrids, are no longer a rarity, but back in 1985, the idea of powering a vehicle with a battery was innovative. It also appealed to budget-tight customers because it meant less reliance on gas.
This is as vintage as you can get with an EV and still have a functional vehicle: a Sinclair C5 still in the original box is about to cross the auction block with Silverstone Auctions.
The Sinclair C5, though dubbed a “car” ahead of its introduction in London on January 10, 1985, was, in fact, an electric three-wheeler. It used a semi-recumbent position and a combination of a 250 W motor and old-fashioned pedal power and was meant to usher in a new era of urban personal mobility.
The Sinclair C5 was a terrible vehicle, as it would soon become apparent, both unreliable and unsafe for public roads. The touted specs (top speed of 15 mph / 24 kph and a per-charge range of 20 miles / 32 km) weren’t even half that in real-life conditions, and the vehicle itself was too low, too small, and too feeble to make anyone safe while driving it in traffic.
Invented by engineer Sir Clive Sinclair, the father of the pocket calculator and the pocket TV (among other things), the C5 has come to represent the start of the personal mobility revolution, even though it was such a failure. In other words, we wouldn’t be riding the e-bikes, e-scooters, or trikes of today were it not for this man’s efforts – and the £10 million ($4 million at the time, or $11.2 million in today’s money) of his own money he invested in the venture.
Some 14,000 Sinclair C5 were made in total, of which only 5,000 units were shipped out to customers. Many of these units were returned due to defects or malfunctions, but this one never even left the factory. It is still in the original box and has never been taken out or driven. It was discovered at the Hoover factory at Merthyr Tydfil in 1985 and put into storage, where it has remained until recently.
This C5 comes with a battery charger, two keys, a fixing kit, and a toolkit, both of which you’ll probably need, and many possibilities. The trike itself might not be much in terms of performance, either past or present-day, but it is a cult product, so one can sell for as much as £5,000 today. It is also a viable platform for modding.
This particular item aims to be even more appealing with a lower price point: it’s estimated to fetch between £2,000 and £3,000. The auction will be held on November 12 and 13 as part of the NEC Classic Motor Show Sale 2022.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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