HMV Freeway

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The H-M-Vehicles, Inc FREE-WAY was a three wheel microcar manufactured in Burnsville, Minnesota from 1979 to 1982. These small commuter cars had a single seat and were powered by a 12 or 16 HP gasoline engine or 4 to 6 HP electric motor.

The 12 HP version was guaranteed to get 100 mpg (US) (2.4 L/100 km/120 mpg imp) when driven at a steady 40 mph (64 km/h). The 12 HP version averaged 80 mpg (US) (2.9 L/100 km/96 mpg imp), and the larger 16 hp averaged 60 mpg (US) (3.9 L/100 km/72 mpg imp) to 70 mpg (US) (3.4 L/100 km/84 mpg imp).

They had two wheels in front and a single chain driven wheel in the rear. The engine (or motor) was coupled with a snowmobile style CVT belt drive transmission. Only the electric version had a reverse capability; for the gasoline version you had to get out and push.

The fully enclosed body was fiberglass with a gelcoat finish mounted on a steel tube chassis.

They had a single headlight and per Federal standards were intended to be licensed as motorcycles but in some states they were titled as cars.

About 700 Free-ways were sold before the company closed June 1982 when there was no longer sufficient orders to stay open.