What the Illinois Vehicle Code says about Chris Sharp's 3-wheel pickle
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs.aspClick on vehicles then Vehicle Code. Click "View Entire Act" which brings you to a huge long document.
What I do then is Control+F (find on page) and type in "electric vehicle" which gets you to this.
(625 ILCS 5/3-805) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-805)
Sec. 3-805. Electric vehicles. The owner of a motor vehicle of the first division or a motor vehicle of the second division weighing 8,000 pounds or less propelled by an electric engine and not utilizing motor fuel, may register such vehicle for a fee not to exceed $35 for a 2-year registration period. The Secretary may, in his discretion, prescribe that electric vehicle registration plates be issued for an indefinite term, such term to correspond to the term of registration plates issued generally, as provided in Section 3-414.1. In no event may the registration fee for electric vehicles exceed $18 per registration year.
Elsewhere in the Code is a definition of a first and second division
motor vehicle
(625 ILCS 5/1-146) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1-146)
Sec. 1-146. Motor vehicle. Every vehicle which is self-propelled and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails, except for vehicles moved solely by human power, motorized wheelchairs, low-speed electric bicycles, and low-speed gas bicycles. For this Act, motor vehicles are divided into two divisions:
First Division: Those motor vehicles which are designed for the carrying of not more than 10 persons.
Second Division: Those motor vehicles which are designed for carrying more than 10 persons, those motor vehicles designed or used for living quarters, those motor vehicles which are designed for pulling or carrying freight, cargo or implements of husbandry, and those motor vehicles of the First Division remodelled for use and used as motor vehicles of the Second Division.
and also a definition of a first and second division vehicle
(625 ILCS 5/1-217) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1-217)
Sec. 1-217. Vehicle. Every device, in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway or requiring a certificate of title under Section 3-101(d) of this Code, except devices moved by human power, devices used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks and snowmobiles as defined in the Snowmobile Registration and Safety Act.
For the purposes of this Code, unless otherwise prescribed, a device shall be considered to be a vehicle until such time it either comes within the definition of a junk vehicle, as defined under this Code, or a junking certificate is issued for it.
For this Code, vehicles are divided into 2 divisions:
First Division: Those motor vehicles which are designed for the carrying of not more than 10 persons.
Second Division: Those vehicles which are designed for carrying more than 10 persons, those designed or used for living quarters and those vehicles which are designed for pulling or carrying property, freight or cargo, those motor vehicles of the First Division remodelled for use and used as motor vehicles of the Second Division, and those motor vehicles of the First Division used and registered as school buses.
It is not clear to me whether it would be correct to use the definition of motor vehicle or vehicle. I'll arbitrarily choose to use motor vehicle.
The section on motorcycles mentions autocycles, which I don't think I'd seen before. (Even now the word processor underlines it as possibly not a real word)
(625 ILCS 5/1-104.2)
Sec. 1-104.2. Autocycle. A 3-wheel motor vehicle that has a steering wheel and seating that does not require the operator to straddle or sit astride it.
(Source: P.A. 98-777, eff. 1-1-15.)
According to the Code, the 3-wheel Pickle is an Autocycle, which is a motor vehicle and if it is "propelled by an electric engine and not utilizing motor fuel" and weighs "8,000 pounds or less" it should be registered " for a fee not to exceed $35 for a 2-year registration period." Unfortunately, I have found that when the Secretary of State registers vehicles they do not follow the Illinois Vehicle Code.
