The invention of the car is one of most significant engineering feats in history. Not only does it completely revolutionize transportation as we know it, but it also plays an integral role in connecting us to an ever-evolving world.
From Model Ts rolling down dusty roads to electric cars taking off into the urban cityscape, cars have come a long way since their first introduction over a hundred years ago. The question remains – when was the very first car made and how have they evolved since then? In this blog post, we will explore the origin story for automobiles and take a look at how far they’ve come!
When Was The First Car Made?
The invention of the car is attributed to Karl Benz, a German inventor, in the year 1886. Benz created a three-wheeled motor car, often considered the first truly modern automobile, which he named the “Motorwagen.”
On January 29, 1886, he applied for a patent for his “vehicle powered by a gas engine,” a landmark event viewed by many as the birth of the automobile. Later that year, the Benz Patent Motor Car, model No. 1, made its first public outing.
This early automobile was characterized by an internal combustion engine, three wheels, and a distinct four-cycle engine. The engine and chassis formed a single unit, a design described by the Library of Congress.
Earlier Visionaries and Evolution of The Car
Long before Karl Benz patented his gasoline-powered car, visionaries were already conceptualizing self-propelled vehicles. Remarkably, as early as the 1500s, Leonardo Da Vinci had sketched a design for a horseless, mechanized cart. Although never built during his lifetime, a replica of this forward-thinking design can today be seen at Chateau Clos Lucé, Leonardo’s last residence and now a museum.
By the time Westerners first visited China, sailing chariots propelled by wind were already in use. Further evolution came in 1600, when Simon Steven of Holland built a sailing chariot large enough to carry 28 people, covering 39 miles in two hours, according to General Motors.
In 1769, Nicholas-Joseph Cugnot, a French inventor, crafted a self-propelled vehicle powered by a steam engine. Designed to move artillery pieces, the vehicle moved at a walking pace and needed to stop every 20 minutes to build a new head of steam.
However, the term ‘car’ has not always referred to the vehicles we know today. As Tom Standage, author of “A Brief History of Motion: From the Wheel, to the Car, to What Comes Next” (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2021), explained to All About History magazine, “At the end of the 19th Century, a car was a ‘streetcar’ i.e. a tram.
Before that, ‘cars’ referred to ‘horse cars’, omnibuses pulled by horses on rails. The term ‘car’ eventually came to refer to what was previously called a ‘horseless carriage’ or possibly a motor car. The term ‘automobile’, as they call it in America, was itself an import from the French.”
See more: How Much Does It Cost To Wrap A Car?
The Emergence of Electric Cars and Their Evolution
Electric cars, though a relatively recent phenomenon in the mainstream market, trace their origins back to the mid-19th century. However, they fell out of favor following the development of Henry Ford’s Model T, as per the U.S. Department of Energy. Modern times have witnessed a dramatic resurgence of electric cars, with approximately 535,000 units being sold in the United States in 2021, as reported by CNBC.
The invention of electric cars is a subject of debate involving several inventors, mainly Robert Anderson and Thomas Davenport, who independently conceptualized the first electric cars in the 1830s, according to AutomoStory. The invention of the first rechargeable battery by French physicist Gaston Plante in 1865 significantly advanced the development of electric cars, replacing the non-rechargeable batteries previously utilized.
Notable progressions in electric car technology include Camille Faure’s 1881 improvement to Plante’s lead-acid battery design and William Morrison’s successful construction of an electric car in the United States in 1891. Furthermore, Belgian racer Camille Jénatzy achieved a land speed record of 62 mph (100 km/h) in his electric car, “La Jamais Contente,” in 1899.
In 1900, Ferdinand Porsche, a renowned German automotive engineer, invented the first hybrid car. Thomas Edison also contributed to the field, developing a more durable and less hazardous nickel-alkaline battery in 1907. Despite higher initial costs, Edison’s battery found use in the delivery trucks of several companies due to its durability and longer ranges.
However, the advent of Henry Ford’s Model T in 1908 marked the decline of electric cars. The high-quality, inexpensive gasoline-powered car quickly gained popularity. By the 1920s, gasoline had become cheaper and more readily available, and the limitations of electric car range and the lack of electricity in many rural areas made gasoline-powered cars the preferred choice.
Despite a brief rise in popularity of electric cars at the beginning of the 20th Century, the subpar quality of their batteries caused them to lose favor. “Electric cars are only good today because of batteries that were initially developed for laptops and camcorders,” Tom Standage noted.
The oil crisis of the 1970s led Congress to pass the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act in 1976, prompting car companies to explore fuel-efficient and electric options. However, it wasn’t until the 1990s that significant progress was made.
The world’s first mass-produced hybrid car, the Toyota Prius, was developed and released in Japan in 1997, followed by the Honda Insight hybrid in the United States in 1999. Tesla Motors initiated development and production of a luxury all-electric car in 2003, releasing the first model in 2008.
The Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid released in 2010, used a gasoline engine to extend the range of the vehicle when the battery was depleted. Also released in 2010, the Nissan LEAF became more readily available to the public than Tesla’s Model S.
Today, almost every major automaker and many smaller ones are developing their own electric and hybrid models, signifying the remarkable evolution of electric cars since their early beginnings.
Final Thought
The automobile’s evolution is a testament to human ingenuity and our relentless quest for progress. From the early concepts by Leonardo Da Vinci to the first gasoline-powered car by Karl Benz, and the ensuing evolution of electric cars, each phase represents a significant leap in technology and design.
The rise, fall, and resurgence of the electric vehicle highlight how practicality, availability of resources, and technological advancements influence consumer preferences. As the world grapples with the pressing issue of climate change, the pivot towards electric vehicles represents not just an evolution in the automobile industry, but also an important step towards sustainable living.
However, the journey is far from over. The creation of more energy-efficient batteries, the expansion of charging infrastructure, and the ongoing research in autonomous driving technology all indicate that the evolution of the automobile is a story still being written. As it unfolds, it continues to change the way we live, work, and interact with our world.
In conclusion, the question “When Was The First Car Made?” is not merely a historical inquiry but a reflection on our journey as a society. It underscores our innate desire to innovate, adapt, and shape our future, a testament to our remarkable capacity for growth and transformation.