The Sinclair C5 is a small one-seater battery electric recumbent tricycle, technically an "electrically assisted pedal cycle". Although widely described as an "electric car", Sinclair characterised it as a "vehicle, not a car". It was manufactured in 1985 by Sinclair Vehicles, which was founded by the late Sir Clive Sinclair in 1983 as a subsidiary of Sinclair Research Ltd, a company that was famous for their ZX Spectrum line of computers, and was the culmination of his long-running interest in electric vehicles.
Although the C5 was innovative and affordable with a cost of £399, the tricycle was swarmed with poor sales and bad reviews from press due to its lack of safety and impracticality. The C5's problems included a short range, a maximum speed of only 15 miles per hour (24 km/h), a battery that ran down quickly and a lack of weatherproofing, which eventually led to the C5 ceasing production in August 1985. The C5 was a commercial failure, selling only 17,000 units and losing Sinclair £7 million. Sinclair Vehicles went into liquidation later the same year. The failure of the C5, combined with those of the QL computer and the TV80, was one of the few key factors that led to Sir Clive Sinclair selling the company's entire computer product range and the "Sinclair" brand name to Alan Sugar's Amstrad in 1986.
Despite its poor sales, the C5 went on to become a cult item for collectors.
Appearances[]
- In 1985 Old Top Gear, William Woollard reviews the newly released Sinclair C5, then he explains the exploded overall parts. As he roadtested the C5 is incapable in motorway despite of its speed and likes as economical.
- In Series 2, Episode 3 of James May's Cars of the People, James reviewed the C5. Despite its slow speed and low height, James liked the C5, praising its innovation and finding it fun to ride.
- In Series 32, Episode 2 of Top Gear, Freddie Flintoff converted the C5 into a bobsleigh called the "Sinclair Ski-5", and he subsequently attempted to break the UK's national speed limit (60 mph, or roughly 97 km/h) by racing it down the Lillehammer Olympic Bobsleigh and Luge Track in Norway.