LONDON: A three-wheeled car that measures just one metre across and carries two people, could be the answer to our growing traffic crisis, its developers say. The Clever (Compact Low Emission Vehicle for Urban Transport) car has been developed by nine European countries and is funded by the EU.

The novel tilting vehicle aims to combine the safety of a traditional car with the flexibility of a motorbike. If produced, the 50mph car could sell for £6,500 after December 2005. It has a metal frame with a roof at about the same height as a normal car and seats one passenger behind the driver. A hydraulic tilting chassis is being developed by scientists at Bath University to make the car stable at high speeds.