In December 2021, a huge five-wheeled loader rickshaw became a hot topic among the netizens. Three-wheeled loaders are already quite popular in Pakistan due to their cheap running, maintenance, and purchasing cost.
The new five-wheeled loader — dubbed the Crown CR300 — has been launched as a competitor to larger pickup trucks. Where the normal three-wheeled loaders have a six feet long and four feet wide loading bed, the five-wheeled loader has an eleven feet long and 4.6 feet wide loading bed.
The vehicle is powered by a 300cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder ZS174 engine sourced by Zongshen. The engine makes 17 horsepower (hp) and 21 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque and is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission that sends the power to the first row of rear wheels.
The CR300 also has a reverse gear and three low-range power gears for hauling hefty loads in mountainous areas. The five-wheeler has twin-fork coil spring front suspension on either side, while the large loading bed sits on a set of 28 leaf springs for maximum reliability.
The CR300 has some essential features such as a kick-start and a self-start system, a gear position indicator, a fuel gauge, speedometer, tachometer, and a mechanical handbrake. It has a 14-liter fuel tank and comes with a 12-volt dry battery from the factory.
The new five-wheeled loader can be had for Rs. 520,000, which makes it a strong contender in the commercial vehicle market. However, it offers little to no features in the name of driver safety, which is its major drawback.
Regardless, the CR300 is likely to sell like hotcakes due to its amazing value proposition.
