Tricycle and Tuk-Tuk Glossary: 70+ Terms Explained

Quick answer

A three-wheeler order touches four different vocabularies at once: factory terms (CBU, SKD, CKD), engineering terms (displacement, payload, L5e), shipping terms (CBM, FCL, LCL, THC) and customs terms (HS code, CIF, PVoC). Misread one and you can spec the wrong vehicle, book the wrong container or under-budget the duty. This glossary explains the 70 terms importers actually meet, in the order you meet them.

Why the words matter in a three-wheeler order

Most first-order problems are terminology problems in disguise. A buyer who reads “L5e” as a marketing label instead of a legal vehicle class ships a unit that cannot be registered. A buyer who treats CBM as a rough size skips the container-loading check and pays for air. And a buyer who confuses CIF with landed cost under-budgets by the whole duty bill. Learning the vocabulary is the cheapest risk reduction in the whole purchase.

Vehicle, class and body terms

These are the words on the quotation and the registration certificate.

Tuk-tuk, auto rickshaw, tricycle, three-wheeler

Regional names for the same family of vehicles. “Tuk-tuk” is common in Thailand, Sri Lanka and tourism markets; “auto rickshaw” in India and Pakistan; “keke napep” in Nigeria; “bajaji” in Tanzania; “marwa” in parts of East Africa. For import paperwork the neutral term is three-wheeler or powered tricycle.

Passenger vs cargo vs agricultural

A passenger tricycle carries people on bench seats; a cargo tricycle carries goods on a flat bed, drop-side, box or tipper body; an agricultural tricycle is a cargo unit specified for farm duty, reinforced frame, load-rated tyres, dump or tank body and gearing tuned for gradients and soft ground.

L5e, L5e-A, L5e-B, L2e

Legal vehicle categories used in the EU and in many national rulebooks. L5e is a powered tricycle with three wheels and a running-order mass up to 1,000 kg; L5e-A is the passenger variant, L5e-B the commercial (utility) variant; L2e is the lighter three-wheel moped class. Category decides which type-approval tests, brakes, lights and emissions limits apply. See EU Regulation (EU) No 168/2013 for the official definitions.

CBU, SKD, CKD

CBU (Completely Built Up) ships assembled; SKD (Semi Knocked Down) ships partly assembled in larger kits; CKD (Completely Knocked Down) ships as a full parts kit for local assembly. The format changes freight cost, duty treatment and how much local work you take on.

Engine, drivetrain and chassis terms

The engineering vocabulary on a spec sheet.

Displacement (cc)

Cylinder volume in cubic centimetres, the 150cc / 200cc / 250cc choice that drives torque, fuel burn and (often) the duty tier.

Payload and GVW

Payload is the load the vehicle is rated to carry; GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) is vehicle plus payload plus driver. Never spec from GVW alone, the usable payload is what the route actually moves.

Rated power and torque

Power (kW/hp) is how fast work is done; torque (N·m) is the turning force that moves a loaded vehicle from rest and up a gradient. For cargo duty, torque at low engine speed matters more than peak power.

Drum vs disc brakes, leaf vs coil suspension, differential

Brake type, spring type and whether the rear axle has a differential (which lets the two rear wheels turn at different speeds in a corner) are the three specs that most affect stability and service life on rough roads.

Electric and battery terms

Voltage, Ah, kWh, SOC, DOD

Volts times amp-hours (Ah) gives kWh, the energy stored. SOC is state of charge (how full); DOD is depth of discharge (how empty you take it, deep cycling shortens life).

Lead-acid vs lithium (LiFePO4)

Lead-acid is cheaper up front, heavier and shorter-lived; lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) is lighter, longer-cycling and higher up front. Choice depends on daily kilometres, charging access and expected service life.

Range, BMS, regenerative braking

Range is distance per charge under a stated load and route; BMS (battery management system) protects the pack; regenerative braking recovers energy when slowing. Treat any quoted range as conditional on load, terrain and temperature.

Container, packing and shipping terms

CBM, FCL, LCL, TEU

CBM is cubic metres of volume; FCL is a full container load; LCL is a shared part-load; TEU is a twenty-foot equivalent unit. Tricycles are usually priced per CBM when shipping LCL and per container when shipping FCL.

THC, demurrage, detention, free days

THC is terminal handling charge; demurrage is a penalty for leaving a container at the port too long; detention is a penalty for keeping the container after pickup. Free days is the no-charge window before either starts.

VGM, ISPM 15, B/L

VGM is the verified gross mass declared for a loaded container; ISPM 15 is the heat-treatment or fumigation standard for wood packaging; the B/L (Bill of Lading) is the transport document and title to the goods.

Customs, duty and trade terms

HS code

The Harmonized System number that classifies the goods worldwide and sets the duty rate. Three-wheelers most often sit under heading 8703 (transport of persons) or 8704 (transport of goods), while electric cargo variants and motorcycles can fall elsewhere, classification must match the actual vehicle.

CIF, FOB, EXW, landed cost

EXW is ex-works (buyer collects at the factory); FOB is free on board (seller delivers to the ship); CIF adds cost, insurance and freight to the destination port. Landed cost is the full delivered figure: goods + freight + insurance + duty + clearance + inland transport.

Rules of origin, FTA, certificate of origin

A free trade agreement can cut or remove duty, but only if the goods meet the rules of origin and travel with a valid certificate of origin.

PVoC, SONCAP, SABER, conformity certificate

Pre-shipment conformity schemes run by destination regulators (for example Kenya’s PVoC, Nigeria’s SONCAP, Saudi Arabia’s SABER). A conformity certificate issued before the vessel sails is usually what stops a container sitting at the port.

Registration, compliance and fleet terms

Type approval is the regulator’s confirmation that a model meets national technical rules; homologation is the equivalent term in several markets; roadworthiness is the periodic inspection a vehicle must pass to stay legal. On the fleet side, duty cycle is the real-world pattern of loads, distances and stops a vehicle serves, the single most useful number when choosing a model.

A quick-reference table

How to use this glossary

Keep it open while you compare quotations. If a seller uses a term inconsistently. That that a signal, not a coincidence. Better still, define the terms in writing on the proforma invoice so nothing depends on interpretation. That that how a good order avoids the expensive kind of surprise.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a tuk-tuk and a cargo tricycle?

Both are three-wheeled vehicles. A tuk-tuk is built to carry passengers; a cargo tricycle is built to carry goods on a flat, boxed or tipper body. The same factory may build both on a similar chassis, but payload, body and gearing differ.

What does L5e mean on a spec sheet?

L5e is the legal category for a powered tricycle in the EU classification, with three wheels and a running-order mass up to 1,000 kg. L5e-A covers passenger models and L5e-B covers commercial models. It tells you which technical standards the vehicle must meet.

Is CBU or CKD cheaper?

CBU is simplest and ready to ride; CKD usually ships more units per container and can attract a lower duty tier, but you take on local assembly. The right choice depends on your duty structure, volume and assembly capability.

What is landed cost in simple terms?

Everything you spend to get a useable vehicle into your yard: goods, freight, insurance, import duty, port and clearance charges and inland transport. It is the only number worth comparing to your local selling price.

Why do I need a conformity certificate before shipping?

Several destination markets require pre-shipment conformity (PVoC, SONCAP, SABER and similar) before the vehicle can clear customs. Arranged in advance it is routine; left late it is the most common reason a container waits at the port.

What does payload mean for a three-wheeler?

Payload is the weight of cargo the vehicle is rated to carry, separate from the vehicle’s own weight and the driver. Exceeding it strains the frame, brakes and springs, so match payload to your real load rather than to the average.

Next step

Send WeldSen your intended use, destination market and target quantity. We reply within one business day with the matching vehicle class, the right packing format and a landed-cost framework you can price against. Demander un devis or message us on WhatsApp. For the companion guides, see How to Read a Tricycle Spec Sheet, Tricycle HS Codes and Import Duty and How to Calculate the Real Landed Cost.