Sunday, May 18, 2025

Sweden has a specific category of vehicle known as an A-traktor which enables 15-year-olds to drive cars and pickups modified with a speed limiter of 30 km/h = 18 mph, and no more than two seats



The "type a" tractor has rural origins. In the 1940s, faced with a shortage of agricultural equipment, farmers were given the right to convert their cars for use in the fields. No permit was required. The only condition was not to exceed 40 km/h, then 30 km/h. Two decades later, as farmers gave up and bought real tractors, young people started driving them. A subculture was formed, associated with the "raggare" – often men, with a passion for mechanics and a love of big American cars.

 The national transport administration tried to oppose it, but to no avail. In 1963, it legalized the practice, allowing Swedes to register their cars as "type a tractors." In 1982, a red triangle with the letters "LGF" (for "langsamt gaende fordon," or "slow moving vehicle" in Swedish) was made compulsory on the rear of the vehicle.



In March 2023, the European Commission published plans to update EU rules on driving licences which included a proposal to allow 16-year-olds to obtain a B1 license, enabling them to drive a car weighing up to 2500 kg as long as a speed limiter is fitted that prevents the vehicle from accelerating above 45 km/h. Negotiations on the final text of the new EU driving licence law are ongoing and the Commission, Parliament and EU Member States are expected to reach an agreement later in 2025. At the time of writing, the Swedish government is actively pushing for the age to be reduced to 15, to align with existing Swedish legislation on modified cars for teenagers known as A-traktors 

In Finland, in 2020, the government launched a plan to allow 15-year-olds to drive smaller cars (up to 1500 kg) fitted with a speed limiter set at 60 km/h – but the proposal for so-called ‘light cars’ was blocked by the European Commission. However, rather than outlawing these anomalies permanently, the European Commission decided to potentially expand the concept to youngsters across the EU

2 comments:

  1. Got something for ya Jesse, not sure if you cover it before, I did not found any mentions. But on Polish site 40ton there is an article (in polish but google translate do work fine) with couple of fine photos, and pics of freight trolleybuses.
    https://40ton.net/ciagniki-siodlowe-z-pantografami-pol-wieku-temu-kijowska-produkcja-z-lat-72-93/

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    1. thanks! I covered some of those type of electric grid powered cargo trucks and busses, in Europe, about 15 years ago. I think it was Poland, Hungary, etc etc

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