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By Mary Bellis
More Car History
Car Model History
The automobile as we know it was not invented in a single day by Car Parts History
History of Steam Engines
a single inventor. The history of the automobile reflects an Railroads
evolution that took place worldwide. It is estimated that over Car Invention Trivia
100,000 patents created the modern automobile. However, we
can point to the many firsts that occurred along the way. Starting
with the first theoretical plans for a motor vehicle that had been
drawn up by both Leonardo da Vinci and Isaac Newton.
In 1769, the very first self-propelled road vehicle was a military tractor invented by French
engineer and mechanic, Nicolas Joseph Cugnot (1725 - 1804). Cugnot used a steam engine
to power his vehicle, built under his instructions at the Paris Arsenal by mechanic Brezin. It
was used by the French Army to haul artillery at a whopping speed of 2 1/2 mph on only
three wheels. The vehicle had to stop every ten to fifteen minutes to build up steam power.
The steam engine and boiler were separate from the rest of the vehicle and placed in the
front (see engraving above). The following year (1770), Cugnot built a steam-powered
tricycle that carried four passengers.
In 1771, Cugnot drove one of his road vehicles into a stone wall, making Cugnot the first
person to get into a motor vehicle accident. This was the beginning of bad luck for the
inventor. After one of Cugnot's patrons died and the other was exiled, the money for
Cugnot's road vehicle experiments ended.
Steam engines powered cars by burning fuel that heated water in a boiler, creating steam
that expanded and pushed pistons that turned the crankshaft, which then turned the
wheels. During the early history of self-propelled vehicles - both road and railroad vehicles
were being developed with steam engines. (Cugnot also designed two steam locomotives
with engines that never worked well.) Steam engines added so much weight to a vehicle
that they proved a poor design for road vehicles; however, steam engines were very
successfully used in locomotives. Historians, who accept that early steam-powered road
vehicles were automobiles, feel that Nicolas Cugnot was the inventor of the first
automobile.
In 1789, the first U.S. patent for a steam-powered land vehicle was granted to Oliver
Evans.
In 1801, Richard Trevithick built a road carriage powered by steam - the first in
Great Britain.
In the United States, numerous steam coaches were built from 1860 to 1880.
Inventors included: Harrison Dyer, Joseph Dixon, Rufus Porter, and William T. James.
Amedee Bollee Sr. built advanced steam cars from 1873 to 1883. The "La Mancelle"
built in 1878, had a front-mounted engine, shaft drive to the differential, chain drive to
the rear wheels, steering wheel on a vertical shaft and driver's seat behind the engine.
The boiler was carried behind the passenger compartment.
home
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After the fundamentals of bicycle design had been conceived by the end of the 1860s, a
multitude of subsequent improvements were suggested and tried. In some cases the
ideas died, marking the end of that particular evolutionary branch. In other instances,
the concepts were embraced to the point that they led to commercial successes. Its
worth noting that Jim Hurd, the former curator of the Bicycle Museum of America, says
that at the turn of the century there were two buildings in Washington DC that held every
patent in the U.S. One building held patents covering every type of product you can think
of. The other building was reserved specifically for bicycle patents. Its a manifestation of
how much energy had gone into refining the bicycle and its the reason why its such a
challenge for modern designers to make any sea-change improvements.
When browsing through the timeline below, remember that bicycle inventions that were
successful were rarely the result of a spontaneous flash of inspiration by one person.
More commonly, they were built on previous ideas and experiments and no one date or
individual can always be attributed to a particular design. Furthermore, many viable
prototypes were abandoned and not pursued until years later. One could argue, perhaps,
that an invention should have successful progeny to be considered a true milestone.
Some milestones can thus be challenged in that they only gained importance in
retrospect; they might have marked a stepping stone to something more advanced from
which there was no turning back but in reality, the innovation was quickly forgotten and
had no permanent impact. All this creates both ambiguity and controversy as to who the
true inventor was and the date when the first successful version was produced.
To add to the confusion, in recent years several early icons of bicycle history have been
relegated to the hopper of popular myth. Most, if not all, alleged developments before
the granting of the Von Drais patent in 1818 are highly conjectural.
For example, the drawing of a bicycle (circa 1493) purported to be by Giacomo
Caprotti, a pupil of Leonardo da Vinci (photo left; click to enlarge; source #1), is now
acknowledged by most to be a hoax.
The Flemish or German Bicycle Window, which was installed in Stoke Poges church in
the 16th or 17th century (photo right; click to enlarge; source #2), shows an angel on a
device that some argue looks like a prototype hobbyhorse. It is far more likely to be a
one-wheeled contraption that was often associated with cherubims and seraphims in
mediaeval iconography.
There is also the risk that, unless there is credible documentary evidence, some early
innovations are actually subsequent bicycle priority claims from the 1890s or later and
are thus false stepping stones that do not convey an accurate history.
For example, a vehicle with two wheels in-line (photo left; click to enlarge; source #3)
was attributed to a Comte de Sivrac around 1791 but this story was most likely created
by the historian Baudry de Saunier in 1891 and has erroneously been copied by
numerous authors ever since.
Other claims are more problematical. A case in point is the chain and rear cog-driven
velocipede attributed to Meyer and Guilmet in 1869 (photo right; click to enlarge; source
#4) and which is now in the Muse des Arts et Mtiers. Serious questions remain
unanswered as to the date and history of the bike even though it is held up by some to
be a true missing link in bicycle evolution.
Arguments about who invented the bicycle are thus rarely fruitful and never conclusive.
In all likelihood, the Baron von Drais (Germany), Kirkpatrick Macmillan (Scotland), the
Michaux family (France), Henry Lawson (England) and many others, all contributed
critical elements but it was the Starley family of Coventry, England who can perhaps lay
claim to bringing it all together as a commercial venture even though their first models
were unsuccessful and they did not necessarily invent the designs that they
incorporated. Nevertheless, within 20 years after the Boneshaker appeared in the 1860s,
most of the basic elements of modern bicycle design had appeared and were included in
Starleys 1885 Rover (photo left; click to enlarge; source #5).
Even though controversy still surrounds Macmillans machine, it was prophetic in that it
included three of these critical design elements: (1) two smallish, equally-sized wheels
with the rider sitting between them (2) a rear-wheel drive and (3) a front wheel that was
steered and was independent of the transmission. The additional two pieces of the
puzzle that were subsequently incorporated by Starley and others were (4) a geared-
up drivetrain (such that the number of pedal revolutions does not equal the number of
wheel rotations) and (5) the chain drive itself which was eventually to become
ubiquitous.
Since those early days, there have been periods of relative famine when it comes to
dramatic improvements in bicycle or component design. This was largely a result of two
phenomena. First was the rise of the automobile in the 1920s. The second cause was
rather more ominous, namely the perverse policy of the Union Cycliste Internationale
and other cycling organizations to ban radical or innovative bicycles from competing in
their sanctioned events. These prohibitions included derailleur gears, wheel rims made of
anything except wood and frames of a configuration other than the standard diamond.
Not surprisingly, nothing earth shattering shows up between 1910 and 1930, until Tullio
Campagnolo begins to influence the industry. There seems to be another period of
relative inactivity in the 1950s and 60s but this was followed by the bicycle boom of the
80s led by Japanese and American companies and which spawned the high-tech
machines of today. Trickle-down of the technology means that sophisticated bicycles can
now be had for relatively modest prices.
In the last two decades, there have been many recent advances in materials, especially
the increasingly widespread use of carbon fiber and titanium. In addition, the demise of
the threaded fork and quill stem in favor of the threadless fork/stem combination, the
increased numbers of gears and the improvements in wheel design are valid
contributions to bicycle evolution. Finally, the fat-tire folks would probably consider the
new fork and frame suspensions as fairly revolutionary changes in their bikes even
though there were marketable versions of effective suspension systems that date back
100 years. Other design changes, such as larger steerer tubes, integrated headsets, and
compact frames may still be controversial but do seem to be working their way into the
mainstream of bicycle development.
And what of the future? For the mass market, the industry will need to continue to
improve those things that discourage more people from riding: comfort, finicky gears,
oily chains, flat tires etc. The road bike business got a severe wake-up call when the
mountain bike phenomenon occurred although the playing field has leveled out
somewhat since the heady days of the 1980s and 90s when the fat-tire contingent were
outselling their skinny-wheeled brethren.However, since then, the comfort and hybrid
bikes have now created a sizable niche in the market. Some form of suspension could
soon end up on every good bike, road or mountain of any style. Perhaps recumbents and
small-wheeled bicycles will now move further into the mainstream; their aficionados
always claim that they should not be regarded as velo-eccentrics but sales figures do
not really support them yet. Even though they might be an anathema to the hard-core
sports riders, new pedaling-assist mechanisms may also become more common.
At some point, maybe the crank/chain/cogs system of the drivetrain will be replaced by
something totally different or at least by non-metallic components that need no
lubrication. In the meantime, it is inevitable that still further increases in the number of
gears is probably being considered though with thirty-speed systems now readily
available, one must continue to ask what the practical limit is. Perhaps CVT (Continuous
Variable Transmission) shifting system will achieve the light weight, robustness and
efficiency to become a market player.
Tire developments will continue, especially in respect of lower hysteresis losses and
greater puncture resistance through improved materials. Practical tubeless or lightweight
solid tires would be a boon to cyclists if weight and rolling resistance remain within
acceptable limits. Clipless pedals that are truly safe for recreational cyclists have yet to
appear. [Editors note: Its possible to get injured if you arent practiced enough.]
Shimano tried it and admitted it was one area of research in which they failed.
Good quality spokeless wheels for the masses could go hand in hand with a move to
smaller wheels which are less affected by sidewinds. Something similar to Mike Burrows
monoblade wheel mounting system which enables tires and chains (or drive belts) to be
easily be removed without taking the wheel off or splitting the chain might also gain
mainstream acceptance. Lightweight disc brakes might well end up on all high-end bikes
as they too continue to improve.
As if to reinforce the premise made at the beginning of this article, many of these ideas
have been tried in the past but time will tell which of them
will qualify for future lists of milestones.
Innovation Year Country Details
1817 Germany Baron von Drais invents the
running machine or
Laufmaschine. Patented the
following year. Known in
various forms as: Draisine,
Draisienne, Vlocipde.
Click to enlarge
English version was the Hobby
source #6
Horse (Denis Johnson). All
have two, in-line wheels and
the ability to steer.
Boneshaker bicycle 1864 France J. Townsend Trench documents his purchase of a velocipede from the
Michaux family. Possibly the first record of a production front wheel,
pedal-driven bicycle (but note that it was not presented until 1895).
This style became known as the Boneshaker. Historians still debate
the claim of Pierre Lallement that he had previously invented the first
pedal-driven machine.
1866 USA Lallement, now in the USA, gets the backing of an investor, James
Carroll, and their patent application is granted; probably the worlds
first public record of the pedal-powered two-wheeler.
Click to enlarge
source #9
1870 England James Starley produces the Ariel High Wheeler (aka Ordinary or
Penny Farthing). Later versions had front wheel sizes of up to 5 feet.
Click to enlarge
source #10
wire-spoked wheel 1870 England W.H.J. Grout patents the radially spoked, nipple adjusted bicycle wheel
(unlike prior load-bearing wheels). Some credit Meyer with this design
two years previously.
ball bearings 1872 German Friedrich Fischer first mass-produces steel ball bearings, patented by
Jules Suriray in 1869.
caliper brake 1876 England Browett and Harrison patent an early caliper brake.
differential gear 1877 England James Starley patents a differential gear; probably the first for a
bicycle but the principle was not new.
internal hub gearings 1878 England Scott and Phillott patent the first practicable epicyclic change-speed
gear fitted into the hub of a front-driving bicycle.
folding highwheeler 1878 England Grout patents a folding High Wheeler, the first portable bicycle
1879 England Henry J. Lawson patents a rear wheel, chain-driven safety bicycle, the
Bicyclette (his earlier models were lever driven).
Click to enlarge
source #14
chain 1880 England Thomas Humber adapts the block chain for use with his range of
bicycles.
safety bicycle 1885 England John Kemp Starley (James Starley's nephew) markets the revolutionary
Safety Bicycle (the Rover) with a chain/rear-sprocket drive and
tangentially-spoked, similar sized wheels. Includes many of the major
features of modern bicycles.
seamless tubing 1886 Germany The Mannessman brothers are credited with the invention of the
process to manufacture seamless steel tubing.
1888 Scotland Commercial development of the pneumatic bicycle tire by Dr. John
Boyd Dunlop.
Click to enlarge
source #11
Click to enlarge
source #12
derailleur 1896 England E.H. Hodgkinson patents a 3-speed Gradient gear, a pre-cursor of the
modern derailleur.
internal hub gearing 1896 England William Riley patents a two-speed hub gear. His later three-speed
version was put into production by Sturmey Archer in 1902.
butted frame tubes 1897 England Alfred M. Reynolds takes out a patent on "butted" steel bicycle tubes.
freewheel 1898 Germany First major commercialization of the freewheel by Ernst Sachs. William
Van Anden had obtained the first freewheel patent in 1869.
1910 France The first, easy-to-use derailleur is invented by Paul de Vivie (Velocio)
that shifted among four gears at the pedals.
Click to enlarge
source #13
recumbent 1914 France Peugeot markets their production recumbent bicycle. Charles Challand
had exhibited his Horizontal Bicyclette Normale in Geneva in 1895.
dual-suspension 1915 Italy Bianchi produced a folding bicycle for the Italian Army with telescoping
mountain bike seatstays, a leaf spring at the bottom bracket, a spring fork and large
profile pneumatic tires. Bianchi now calls it the first dual suspension
mountain bike! There are earlier versions of military folding bicycles.
And Pierce had the Pan American dual-suspension road bicycle at
the turn of the century.
1930 Italy Tullio Campagnolo introduces the bicycle hub quick-release.
Click to enlarge
source #13
recumbent 1932 France Charles Mochet designs the Velocar, a recumbent bicycle on which
Francois Faure breaks both the mile and kilometer records.
1933- USA Introduction by Schwinn of the balloon tire and streamlined bikes
1934 which leads to rugged bikes that can take the abuse of teenage boys
and which set a forty-year trend. CORRECTIONS by Leon Dixon of
the National Bicycle History Archive of America: "The implication here
is that Schwinn invented something that did not exist, which is one of
the biggest myths in bicycle history. Schwinn merely copied what they
Click to enlarge
saw going on in Europe. Both Sears and Montgomery Ward had
source #8
bicycles in 1932 that had balloon tires in the USA, a full year BEFORE
Schwinn. And the streamline movement in bicycles was really
pioneered by Sears and Huffman. Schwinn had a clunky diamond frame
with straight tubes and a streamlined tank in 1934, but Sears Elgin
(1935) and Huffman Dayton (1936) had fully streamlined frames,
tanks, etc."
mountain bike 1938 USA Schwinn markets the "Fore-wheel" brake, "Cantilever Frame" and the
"Spring Fork." Resulted in what was to be the Grandfather of today's
mountain bikes.
small-wheel folding 1939 France A.J. Marcelin patents Le Petit Bi, a 16-inch wheeled folding bicycle,
bicycle remarkably similar to the Moulton and Bickerton of later years. There
had already been full-size folding military bicycles in 1915.
shifter 1946 Italy Campagnolo markets the dual-rod "Cambio Corsa" gear shifter (over
ten years after the prototype) widely used for at least a decade.
index shifting 1949 England The Hercules Herailleur is launched; a rear derailleur with indexed shift
levers. Marketed for five years.
1962 England Launch of the Moulton small-wheeled bicycle with separately sprung
suspension and custom tires. Competed successfully in time trials and
track pursuit events.
Click to enlarge
Sting-Ray 1963 USA Schwinn introduces the Sting-Ray that subsequently helped launch the
BMX craze. Leon Dixon of the National Bicycle History Archive of
America notes: "This is a very serious myth. First, Schwinn merely
copied the Huffy Penguin which existed BEFORE the Sting-Ray. And
these bicycles were pioneers in the 20-inch bicycle revolution/genre,
but certainly did not necessarily father BMX. AND... the first Sting-Ray
was officially stated by Schwinn as being NOT a 1963 model, but
officially known as a "1963-1/2" model. Either way, Huffy was on the
market first."
rear derailleur 1964 Japan The SunTour Grand Prix is marketed as the first slant parallelogram
derailleur, a design that has held up till the present day.
index shifting 1969 Japan SunTour launch their indexed shift lever, the Five-Speed Click, and a
combined freewheel-plus-rear hub, the Unit Hub. Neither of them found
a market, and were abandoned. Bayliss Wiley in England had also
experimented with unit hubs as far back as 1938.
Click to enlarge
BMX 1970 USA The movie On Any Sunday by Bruce Brown debuts. Although it is a
(Bicycle Motocross) motorcycle documentary, a brief scene during the beginning of the
movie shows kids on Sting-Ray bikes emulating motocross. This small
spark eventually evolves into full-fledged, organized BMX racing by
1974.
mass-produced 1974 USA Teledyne markets the first titanium bike that was produced in any
titanium frame/fork quantity (Speedwell of England had some Ti production frames as far
back as the 1960s, welded by Lamborghini!) Litespeed brought
titanium frames to a broader market in the 1980s.
1975 USA The first carbon-tubed, metal lugged frame appears: the Exxon
Graftek. Suffered from frequent frame failure. The technology was later
perfected by Look, Trek and others.
Click to enlarge
source #7
oversize aluminum 1975 USA Gary Klein displays his welded and heat-treated aluminum frames with
frames/bikes oversize tubing at the International Bike show. Kleins frame was the
result of an MIT design project in the early 1970s under Professor
Shawn Buckley. Alan (Italy) and Vitus (France) were producing their
lugged aluminum frames around the same time. Cannondale launched
their Aluminum for the Masses in 1983. (Background on the
Klein/MIT connection courtesy of John S Allen and Donald W. Gillies).
1978 USA Fomac Corporation designs the Avatar recumbent. It is one of the many
styles that constituted the 1980s renaissance of recumbents which
included Lightning Cycles winning the HPV-RAAM relay and Easy Racers
breaking the 65 mph barrier.
Click to enlarge
source #7
high-quality folding 1978 USA Specialized introduce the first high-quality foldable clincher tire (the
clincher tire Turbo) which launches the demise of the tubular.
aerodynamic road/track 1980 East Germany Introduction of aerodynamic bicycles with a stable construction.
bicycles Culminated in the American "Super Bike" at the 1984 Los Angeles
Olympics.
mass-produced 1981 USA The Specialized Stumpjumper mountain bike is launched nationwide,
mountain bike capitalizing on the Marin County vogue inspired by Californian icons,
Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze, Tom Richey et al. (all of whom also produced
earlier mountain bikes).
electronic cycle 1983 USA Avocet launch the first electronic cyclometer (bike computer).
computer
Moulton 1983 England Moulton launches his second generation of space-frame small-
wheeled bicycles.
clipless pedals 1984 France LOOK markets their clipless pedal (following on an earlier track model
launched by Cinelli in 1970; the Death Cleats, no automatic release).
There was also the circa 1983 Cyclebinding clipless pedal designed in
the USA by Rick Howell. It featured a self-righting pedal and a walkable
shoe. For more on pedal history visit the Speedplay Museum.
index shifting 1985 Japan Shimano introduces SIS indexed shifting (learning from their inferior
product, the Positron, from 1977).
1986 USA Kestrel introduces their production non-lugged, carbon fiber frame and
Trek market their first lugged carbon frame.
Click to enlarge
suspended mountain 1987 USA Paul Turner demonstrates a full suspension bicycle with front and rear
bike shocks. Eventually becomes a partner in Rock Shox. Diversified the
sport of off-road biking.
aero handlebars 1987 USA Scott USA manufactures the first mass-produced aerobars in 1987, the
(1984)* design, called the DH, is the brainchild of Boone Lennon. *However, the
first aerobars were invented in 1984 by Richard Bryne for Jim Elliot to
use in the 1984 Race Across America.
high-performance 1989 USA Hanz Scholz designs the Bike Friday "World Tourist". A reasonably
folding bike compact folding bicycle that matches the performance of conventional
touring machines.
integrated brake/shift 1990 Japan Shimano introduces integrated brake/gear levers.
levers
electric derailleurs 1993 France Mavic markets their ZAP electronic shifting. Ceases production in 2001.
Possible future follow-up by Campagnolo. Browning Research had
invented a prototype electronic system in 1974. Shimano introduces
it's Di2 electric drivetrain in 2008.
hydraulic disc brake 1994 USA Sachs (SRAM) introduces PowerDisc, the first mass-produced hydraulic
disc brake system.
1998 Germany Rohloff develops the Speedhub, 14 equally-spaced hub gears which are
operated by a twist-grip with no overlapping ratios and a gear range as
wide as a 27-speed derailleur system.
Click to enlarge
30-speed derailleur 2002 Italy Campagnolo offers a 30-speed derailleur drivetrain with the Record 3-
drivetrain x-10 drivetrain
Note
Bicycle history marches on. The chart ends with a Rohloff hub transmission, and Campagnolo 10-
speed drivetrain. Currently, Campy has the Super Record component group, which has an 11-
speed cassette for building drivetrains with up to 33 gears. And, there have been developments in
internal hub gearing, too, such as the ingenious NuVinci infinitely variable transmission. While
Shimano just debuted their Di2 electric road drivetrain.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I used many published and Internet sources for the above list. It was remarkable how many
inaccuracies and red herrings needed to be purged from my first drafts as I learned more about
the controversies surrounding both the early claims and the more recent history. In this effort, I
received many invaluable comments from the individuals listed below. Notwithstanding their
generous assistance, any remaining errors that remain are mine alone. It is also worth observing
that controversies still abound, not all my correspondents were necessarily in agreement but it
would be most presumptuous of me to claim that resolution of such differences of opinion is
within either my ability or the scope of this article.
Clarice Burgwardt of the Pedaling History Bicycle Museum in Orchard Park, New York.
David Herlihy, directeur of the Lallement Memorial Committee in Boston and author of
many papers on history of the bicycle.
Derek Roberts, bicycle historian, author of Cycling History: Myths and Queries (1991)
and founder member of the Veteran Cycle Club
Frank Berto, author of The Birth of Dirt (1999) and The Dancing Chain (2000). He was
the engineering editor for Bicycling Magazine for many years.
Industry contacts at: Kestrel, Trek, Litespeed, Cannondale, Specialized, the Corus Group
(formerly British Steel) and the International Aluminium Institute.
Jeff Archer of First Flight Bicycles, antique vintage bicycles, parts and accessories.
Statesville, North Carolina
Jim Langley, Content Director for SmartEtailing, author and editor of many cycling
articles and books, and one time Chief Technical Editor for Bicycling Magazine.
John H. Lienhard, M.D. Anderson Professor of Mechanical Engineering and History at the
University of Houston.
Pryor Dodge, author of The Bicycle, 1996 and inspiration behind the national tour of the
Pryor Dodge Collection which offered a glimpse of the 19th Century from the handlebars
of a bicycle.
Rob van der Plas of Van der Plas Publications (publisher of cycling books), San Francisco.
Scotford Lawrence, Trustee of the National Cycle Museum, Llandrindod Wells, United
Kingdom.
Tony Hadland, author of several bicycle history books including The Sturmey Archer
Story (1987) and The Moulton Bicycle (1981).
John S. Allen, cycling writer, former Bicycling Magazine editor, expert cycling witness and
bicycle advocate.
Photo Credits
11. Bartleet's Bicycle Book, The Story of Cycles & Cycling by H. W. Bartleet
13. The Dancing Chain by Frank Berto, Ron Shepherd, Raymond Henry
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France and Great Britain were the first nations to support the widespread development of
electric vehicles in the late 1800s. In 1899, a Belgian built electric racing car called "La
Jamais Contente" set a world record for land speed - 68 mph - designed by Camille Jnatzy.
It was not until 1895 that Americans began to devote attention to electric vehicles after an
electric tricycle was built by A. L. Ryker and William Morrison built a six-passenger wagon
both in 1891. Many innovations followed and interest in motor vehicles increased greatly in
the late 1890s and early 1900s. In 1897, the first commercial application was established as
a fleet of New York City taxis built by the Electric Carriage and Wagon Company of
Philadelphia.
The early electric vehicles, such as the 1902 Wood's Phaeton (top image), were little more
than electrified horseless carriages and surreys. The Phaeton had a range of 18 miles, a top
speed of 14 mph and cost $2,000. Later in 1916, Woods invented a hybrid car that had both
an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.
While basic electric cars cost under $1,000, most early electric
vehicles were ornate, massive carriages designed for the upper
class. They had fancy interiors, with expensive materials, and
averaged $3,000 by 1910. Electric vehicles enjoyed success into
the 1920s with production peaking in 1912.
The decline of the electric vehicle was brought about by several major developments:
By the 1920s, America had a better system of roads that now connected cities,
bringing with it the need for longer-range vehicles.
The discovery of Texas crude oil reduced the price of gasoline so that it was
affordable to the average consumer.
The invention of the electric starter by Charles Kettering in 1912 eliminated the need
for the hand crank.
Next page > History of Electric Cars - The Middle Years (1930 - 1990)
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A brief outline of the history of the internal combustion engine includes the following
highlights:
1680 - Dutch physicist, Christian Huygens designed (but never built) an internal
combustion engine that was to be fueled with gunpowder.
1824 - English engineer, Samuel Brown adapted an old Newcomen steam engine to
burn gas, and he used it to briefly power a vehicle up Shooter's Hill in London.
1862 - Alphonse Beau de Rochas, a French civil engineer, patented but did not build
a four-stroke engine (French patent #52,593, January 16, 1862).
1864 - Austrian engineer, Siegfried Marcus*, built a one-cylinder engine with a crude
carburetor, and attached his engine to a cart for a rocky 500-foot drive. Several years
later, Marcus designed a vehicle that briefly ran at 10 mph that a few historians have
considered as the forerunner of the modern automobile by being the world's first
gasoline-powered vehicle (however, read conflicting notes below).
1866 - German engineers, Eugen Langen and Nikolaus August Otto improved on
Lenoir's and de Rochas' designs and invented a more efficient gas engine.
1876 - Nikolaus August Otto invented and later patented a successful four-stroke
engine, known as the "Otto cycle".
1876 - The first successful two-stroke engine was invented by Sir Dougald Clerk.
1886 - On January 29, Karl Benz received the first patent (DRP No. 37435) for a
gas-fueled car.
Engine design and car design were integral activities, almost all of the engine designers
mentioned above also designed cars, and a few went on to become major manufacturers of
automobiles. All of these inventors and more made notable improvements in the evolution
of the internal combustion vehicles.
*If Siegfried Marcus built his second car in 1875 and it was as claimed, it would have been
the first vehicle powered by a four-cycle engine and the first to use gasoline as a fuel, the
first having a carburetor for a gasoline engine and the first having a magneto ignition.
However, the only existing evidence indicates that the vehicle was built circa 1888/89 - too
late to be first.
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By the early 1900s, gasoline cars started to outsell all other types
More Car History
of motor vehicles. The market was growing for economical Car Model History
automobiles and the need for industrial production was pressing. Car Parts History
American Roads
Panhard and Levassor
The first car manufacturers in the world were French: Panhard & Duryea Brothers
Henry Ford
Levassor (1889) and Peugeot (1891). By car manufacturer we Car Invention Trivia
mean builders of entire motor vehicles for sale and not just
engine inventors who experimented with car design to test their
engines - Daimler and Benz began as the latter before becoming
full car manufacturers and made their early money by licensing their patents and selling
their engines to car manufacturers.
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Panhard and Levassor also shared the licensing rights to Daimler motors with Armand
Peugot. A Peugot car went on to win the first car race held in France, which gained Peugot
publicity and boosted car sales. Ironically, the "Paris to Marseille" race of 1897 resulted in a
fatal auto accident, killing Emile Levassor. (Learn more about Panhard and Levassor)
Early on, French manufacturers did not standardize car models - each car was different from
the other. The first standardized car was the 1894, Benz Velo. One hundred and thirty four
identical Velos were manufactured in 1895.
Henry Ford
American car manufacturer, Henry Ford (1863-1947) invented an improved assembly line
and installed the first conveyor belt-based assembly line in his car factory in Ford's Highland
Park, Michigan plant, around 1913-14. The assembly line reduced production costs for cars
by reducing assembly time. Ford's famous Model T was assembled in ninety-three minutes.
Ford made his first car, called the "Quadricycle," in June, 1896. However, success came after
he formed the Ford Motor Company in 1903. This was the third car manufacturing company
formed to produce the cars he designed. He introduced the Model T in 1908 and it was a
success. After installing the moving assembly lines in his factory in 1913, Ford became the
world's biggest car manufacturer. By 1927, 15 million Model Ts had been manufactured.
Another victory won by Henry Ford was patent battle with George B. Selden. Selden, who
had never built an automobile, held a patent on a "road engine", on that basis Selden was
paid royalties by all American car manufacturers. Ford overturned Selden's patent and
opened the American car market for the building of inexpensive cars. (Learn more about
Henry Ford)
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