Chapeaux (France) - AllCarIndex

Voitures E. Chapeaux was a French automobile manufacturer founded by Emile Chapeaux, an electrical engineer. The company operated in Lyons and specialized in producing custom-built vehicles. Chapeaux crafted four cars to individual orders, utilizing older chassis from established brands such as Amilcar, Salmson, and Mathis. Each vehicle featured Chapeaux's own unique coachwork, batteries, and running gear.

The first car was a coupe commissioned by a Red Cross official, while the subsequent two were 2-door saloons ordered by a company director and a lawyer, respectively. The fourth vehicle was an original design, a low-slung three-wheeler with a single rear wheel, ordered by a jeweler.

Production of Chapeaux's vehicles ceased at the end of 1941 due to a shortage of raw materials, particularly lead for batteries. The cars were initially manufactured in the Ultima motorcycle factory and later at the coachbuilders Declerieux. In 1968, Chapeaux announced plans for a three-wheeled electric town car, intending to produce 20 units for a hire company; however, this project never came to fruition.