World’s First Car – Steam-powered Vehicle by Nicholas Joseph Cugnot
After a
few years steam engines were invented, the earliest vehicle came abound, the
steam-powered vehicle. This world’s first ever vehicle recorded in history was
designed by Nicholas Joseph Cugnot and built by M. Brezin in 1769. Such was
operated by a steam-powered engine which made it so heavy that a road must be
as strong as iron to carry it. It could only run in a limited speed of 3 km per
hour. However, a second model was built in 1770 with a weight of 8000 pounds
and a maximum speed of 2 miles per hour. These steam powered vehicles were only
convenient on a perfectly flat and strong surface. Thus, roads made out of iron
nails became the trend for the next century. These vehicles were not merely
used to carry passengers but were capable of pulling a series of cars filled
with luggage and passengers.
In 1830’s, there were several
attempts made in England to develop more practical vehicles that don’t need to
run on iron rails. The established iron
railroads became the source of many accidents and propaganda that brought a series
of restrictive laws in the English society. Internal combustion was later developed
but it had to wait for the invention of the perfect gas fuel to combust
internally and become fully effective.
The Men and Women Accounted For the Creation of the Modern Automobile
The effectiveness of internal
combustion and development of gas engine marked the birth of modern automobiles.
However, such development didn’t occur in a short period of time and cannot be
pointed out to a single inventor. There were many “firsts” that greatly
contributed to the development of modern cars. The long history of cars reflects an evolution that happened worldwide. There are about 100,000 patents associated
to the creation of modern automobiles, involving several inventors, both men
and women. Let’s get to know them.
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From Left: Nicholas August Otto, Rudolf Diesel,
Charles Kettering, G. Daimler, J.W Lambert, K.Benz |
Nicolas
August Otto. Developed the first
ever effective gas motor engine in 1876, utilizing the four-stroke internal
combustion called “the Otto cycle” wherein a gas or fuel is placed in a
cylinder, followed by processes of compression, combustion and exhaustion of
gas.
Gottlieb
Daimler. The Otto cycle engines developed by Otto became the basis for
Daimler when he built his own motorcycle using a hot tube ignition system which
made his engine run up to 1000 rpm. He was also the first one to develop the
four-wheeled automobile in1886. In 1888, he made a deal with William Steinway, owner of
Steinway & Sons piano factory, and started running his own Daimler motor company.
Karl
Benz. He was a German mechanical Engineer who also used the Otto cycle internal
combustion as his basis in designing the world’s most convenient automobile in
1885. The famous automobile manufacturing company, Merceded Benz was named
after him.
John William
Lambert. He founded the J.W Lambert and company along with his father. He
studied Benz automobile engine to the best of his ability and in 1891, invented
the first successful gasoline-powered automobile made from lighter weight
materials, and designed without horse carriages in U.S.A.
Duryea
Brothers. Charles Duryea and Frank Duryea were bicycle makers who later
became car manufacturers along with their interest to engines and automobiles. They
were the first to build a commercial gasoline-powered automobile in America and
the founders of Duryea Motor Wagon Company
in 1896, the first company to produce and sell gasoline powered automobiles.
Their first gasoline powered vehicle was built in 1893 and was successfully run
on public roads of Springfield Massachusetts in September 21 on that same year.
Henry
Ford. He was American manufacturer of gasoline cars who developed a more
improved assembly line, invented and installed the first conveyor-belt assembly
line which took place in his car factory during 1913-1914. After such
development, Ford Motor Company became the world’s biggest car-producing
company. He also introduced the successful Model T in 1908.
Rudolf
Diesel. He became a millionaire
in 1898 due to his invention of the first diesel engine in 1894. His engine
proved that fuel could be ignited without a spark and was successfully operated
in 1897. Rudolf’s diesel concept became the basis for today’s improved and refined
versions which are now widely used in ships, submarines, locomotives and
large trucks as well as in electric-generating plants.
Charles
Franklin Kettering. Charles Franklin Kettering developed the first automobile
electrical ignition system as well as the first practical engine-driven
generator. He was also known for his remarkable quote “The world hates change,
but it is the only thing that has brought progress."
These are
some of the well-known people who have greatly contributed to the development
of modern cars. We owe them gratitude for such inventions for they made our
lives today easier and fancier with these high technology cars that will bring us wherever we want to go.
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| The Evolution of Cars |
