By the start of WWII the US Army had a need for light cross country and reconnaissance vehicle. A number of manufacturers responded with different vehicles. However by 1941 there was a need to standardise and use a single manufacturer. Willys won the contract although later on Ford were contracted to produce the Jeep as Willys could not keep pace with demand. The Willys Jeep served with all allied forces during WWII.

The VW Kubelwagen was devised by Ferdinand Porsche and based on the chassis of the VW Beetle. Inital designs indicated the Beetle chassis would not be strong enough so development of the body was sub contracted to Trutz. Further development of the prototype lead to the Type 82 which reduced the lowest speed to 4km/h (the pace of marching soldiers) and improved its off road performance. Production of the Type 82 started in February 1940 and continued until the end of WWII with over 50,400 produced.

The Sd Kfz 2 Kleines Kettenkraftrad HK101, better known as the Kettenkrad, was a light tractor initially designed for airborne troops. It could be steered by both the handlebars at slow speed and the tracks at higher speed and even without the front road wheel. They were used to tow light artillery, such as the 37mm Pak36, and cargo in the Sd Ahn 1 trailer. Other uses include laying communication cables, transporting personnel and as a tractor to tow aircraft to the runways - in particular the Me262 and Arado Ar234 jets in order to save aviation fuel.