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The Autoped was an early motorised scooter, developed and manufactured by the Autoped Company of Long Island City, New York[1] from 1915 until 1921. It was also manufactured under licence by the German company Krupp from 1919 until 1922.[2]
The scooter is powered by an air-cooled 4-stroke engine mounted over the front wheel, driving the wheel via a circular clutch. The original American version uses a 155 cc engine, whereas the Krupp variant makes use of a slightly larger 191 cc unit.[2] The vehicle is controlled entirely through the steering column: pushing it forward engages the clutch; pulling it back operates the internal expanding brake on the front wheel; and twisting the left grip operates the throttle.[3]
The Autoped had a claimed top speed of 25 mph (40 km/h) on a level road.[4]