Rear-engine design

The center of gravity of the engine itself is behind the rear axle.

This is not to be confused with the center of gravity of the whole vehicle, as an imbalance of such proportions would make it impossible to keep the front wheels on the ground.

This layout has the following features: This layout was once popular in small, inexpensive cars and light commercial vehicles.

It is also used in some racing car applications,[4] low-floor buses, some Type-D school buses, and microcars such as the Smart Fortwo.

Some electric cars feature both rear and front motors, to drive all four wheels.