A folding electric trike can fit in a car boot, but only if the boot's opening and floor are bigger than the trike's folded size, so it's a measuring job, not a yes or no. Folding makes a trike shorter, not narrower or lighter: the width across the rear wheels stays the same, and so does the weight. Measure your boot, get the trike's folded size and weight, and plan the lift before you buy. This guide is for riders, and for anyone choosing a trike for a parent.
By the Ridewave team, updated October 2026
What changes when a trike folds?
Most folding electric trikes have a frame hinge, held shut by a locking lever, and a folding handlebar stem. The hinge swings the front half round beside the rear wheels, and the stem lowers the handlebars. For a car boot, you need four numbers: folded length, width, height and weight.
| Folded measurement | What folding does to it | What it decides in your car |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Takes off the most | Whether it fits the boot floor, seats up or folded |
| Width | Nothing, it's the rear axle width | Whether it clears the opening and the wheel arches |
| Height | Lowers it, mainly through the stem | Whether it clears the tailgate edge and the parcel shelf |
| Weight | Nothing | How many people the lift takes, and how high they can lift it |
Electric trikes are heavy, so read the weight with and without the battery: a removable battery is the one part that comes off for the lift. Accessories such as an extra basket or a mirror add to the folded size, so measure with them on. If a spec sheet doesn't list a folded size, ask the seller or fold the trike in a showroom and measure it.
How do you measure your car boot for a trike?
Measure two things: the opening the trike has to pass through, and the space it has to sit in. A boot's capacity in litres won't tell you, because a trike needs a particular shape, not just a volume.
You need a tape measure and five minutes.
- Opening width. At its narrowest point, usually between the tail lights or seals.
- Opening height. From the top of the boot lip to the lowest edge of the open tailgate.
- Floor depth. From the closed tailgate to the rear seats, then again with the seats folded.
- Floor width. Between the wheel arches, usually the tightest spot inside.
- Height inside. From the floor to the parcel shelf, or to the roof lining with the shelf out.
- Lip height. From the ground to the top of the boot lip: how high you'll lift the trike.
Your measure and check card
The trike fits when every row is a yes (one floor depth row is enough), with a hand's width to spare so you can guide it in.
| Check | Your car | Compare with | Fits? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening width | ______ cm | More than the folded width | Yes / No |
| Opening height | ______ cm | More than the folded height | Yes / No |
| Floor depth, seats up | ______ cm | More than the folded length | Yes / No |
| Floor depth, seats folded | ______ cm | More than the folded length | Yes / No |
| Floor width between wheel arches | ______ cm | More than the folded width | Yes / No |
| Height inside, under the shelf | ______ cm | More than the folded height | Yes / No |
| Lip height | ______ cm | Can you and a helper lift the trike's weight this high? | Yes / No |
How does a folded trike compare with your boot?
Put the trike's folded size next to each of your numbers. Here's a worked example. Say the trike folds to 101 x 77 x 69 cm and weighs 36 kg with the battery out (the figures for one compact trike with 16 inch wheels), and you've measured a boot like this:
| Check | Example boot | Example trike needs more than | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening width | 98 cm | 77 cm | Yes |
| Opening height | 74 cm | 69 cm | Yes |
| Floor depth, seats up | 92 cm | 101 cm | No |
| Floor depth, seats folded | 150 cm | 101 cm | Yes |
| Floor width between wheel arches | 96 cm | 77 cm | Yes |
| Height inside, shelf in | 52 cm | 69 cm | No, take the shelf out |
| Height inside, shelf out | 80 cm | 69 cm | Yes |
Reading it:
- Width is pass or fail. If the opening or the gap between the wheel arches is narrower than the folded width, the trike won't go in flat, however short it folds.
- Length is where trikes differ most. Bigger wheels and longer frames fold longer. Here the trike fits only with the rear seats folded.
- Height catches people out. A parcel shelf or cargo cover can take away the space the trike needs.
If a number fails by a few centimetres, don't count on squeezing it in: forcing it scratches the frame and the car.
How do you lift and load a folded trike?
Take the battery out, fold the trike, and lift it in with two people, one at each end. Folding changes the size, not the weight.
Before you lift:
- Take the battery out, if it's removable. It lightens the lift and can't be knocked loose in transit. If it locks, keep the key with you.
- Set the parking brakes, if the trike has them, so the folded trike can't roll while you get a grip.
- Fold and latch it so the trike can't swing open as you lift.
The lift. Plan for two people, or a ramp if you travel alone. Each takes one end, bends at the knees, keeps the trike close and lifts on a count. Rest it on the boot lip, then slide it in.
Secure the load. Across Australia, it's illegal to drive a vehicle carrying a load without a load restraint system that meets the relevant performance standards, and the load mustn't cover lights, indicators, reflectors or the number plate (National Transport Commission Load Restraint Guide for Light Vehicles). Strap the trike to the tie down points, on an old blanket to protect the floor.
Carry the battery carefully, in the footwell or a padded spot where it can't slide or be crushed, out of direct sun. The NSW Government advises keeping lithium-ion batteries in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, and to stop using one that is dented, crushed, swelling or overheating (NSW Government guidance on lithium-ion batteries).
After unloading. Unfold the trike, check the latches are closed and tight, refit and lock the battery, and release the parking brakes before you ride.
What are the options if it does not fit?
If your boot fails the check, the usual answers are a bigger vehicle, a towbar rack built for trikes, or a small trailer.
| Option | Lift needed | Main check | Trade off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bigger vehicle | Up to the boot lip | A wide, square opening and folding rear seats | Only worth it if you're choosing a car anyway |
| Towbar rack made for trikes | Onto the rack, lower than a boot | The rack's rated load and your towbar's rating | Covers the number plate on many cars |
| Small trailer | Roll it up a ramp | The trailer's load rating and tie down points | Another thing to tow, park and store |
A standard bike rack won't take a trike's two rear wheels. A rack made for trikes, and your towbar, need ratings that cover the trike's weight as you'll carry it.
If a rack or a trike covers your rear number plate, you need an auxiliary plate. In NSW you can order one from a service centre, on the myPlates website or on 13 77 88, and you can be fined for a plate that isn't clearly displayed (NSW Government guide to displaying number plates). Other states have their own rules, so check with your state's transport authority.
If nobody can share the lift, or your car fails the width check, plan on a rack or trailer, and know that before you buy.
How do you take a trike on a caravan trip?
For a caravan trip, decide where the trike rides, measure that space as you would a boot, and plan how you'll charge the battery on the road.
Where it rides. The tow vehicle's boot, inside the caravan or a rack all work if the trike fits and is tied down. In a caravan the door is often the tightest spot, so measure it against the folded width.
Count the weight. Add the trike's weight with its battery when you work out your load.
Charging on the road. Take the battery out to charge, use only the charger that came with the trike, charge on a hard surface and don't leave it charging unattended or overnight (NSW Government guidance above).
Our guide to e-bike touring and caravan trips covers daily distances and charging at caravan parks.
About Ridewave and its folding e-trikes
Ridewave is an Australian e-trike and e-bike brand, with showrooms in Vermont VIC, Girraween NSW and Marrickville NSW where you can test ride and try the fold. Every current Ridewave e-trike folds, all are 77 cm wide, and each has a removable, lockable battery and parking brakes.
| Model | Folded (L x W x H) | With battery | Without battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koala | 101 x 77 x 69 cm | 39.5 kg | 36 kg |
| Quokka | 103 x 77 x 69 cm | 40 kg | 36.5 kg |
| Wallaby | 108 x 77 x 75 cm | 45 kg | 42 kg |
| Wallaby Plus | 108 x 77 x 76 cm | 46.5 kg | 43.5 kg |
| Platypus | 123 x 77 x 78 cm | 44.5 kg | 41 kg |
- For a car boot, caravan or small space: the Koala folds the shortest and lowest, with 16 inch wheels.
- For local rides and shopping: the Quokka folds almost as small.
- For a seat with a backrest: the Platypus is semi recumbent and folds longest, so check your floor depth with the seats folded.
See them all in our electric trike range, or let our ride finder suggest one from a few quick questions.
Frequently asked questions
How many people does it take to lift a folded trike?
Plan on two. Even a compact electric trike can weigh 36 kg with the battery out. If you often travel alone, a ramp, a rack or a trailer is the better plan.
Can a trike go on a standard bike rack?
No. A standard rack holds two wheeled bikes. Use a rack designed for trikes, rated for the trike's weight.
Does boot capacity in litres tell you if a trike will fit?
No. Measure the opening and the floor instead.
Fold one and check it yourself
The surest way to know is to fold a trike yourself, lift it with the battery out, and see how the latches close. Visits at our showrooms in Vermont (Melbourne), Girraween and Marrickville (Sydney) take 30 minutes to an hour; bring your card. There's parking at the door of each showroom, so tell us when you book if you'd like to try it with your own car. Call ahead so we can have the right trike ready: book a showroom test ride, or call us on +61 468 095 888. Stockists and service partners are on our locations page.
Sources
- Load Restraint Guide for Light Vehicles, National Transport Commission, checked October 2026
- Displaying number plates, NSW Government, checked October 2026
- Lithium-ion batteries and e-micromobility devices, NSW Government, checked October 2026
Related articles
- E-bike touring in Australia: caravan and multi day trips: daily distances, charging at caravan parks and carrying a battery on the road.
- Electric trike maintenance: how to check the folding latches and look after the battery between trips.
- Electric trike vs mobility scooter: which suits getting to the shops, and why.