The Evolution of Cars
By Ashritha Raghavendra
August 04, 2022
Steam Wagon
Cugnot’s Fardier à Vapeur was a steam-powered, self-propelled mechanical vehicle. The first steam-propelled vehicle was said to be designed by Ferdinand Verbiest in 1672.
Year: 1771
Image Source: Wikipedia
Steam-Road Locomotive
Richard Trevithick was a British engineer who built a steam-road locomotive and successfully transported several passengers from Ore Street to Camborne Hill in England.
Year: 1801
Image Source: Flickr
Internal Combustion Engine
Karl Friedrich Benz is considered the inventor of the modern car. He designed the Motorwagen — the first automobile propelled by an internal combustion engine.
Year: 1886
Image Source: Wikipedia
German Engineering at the Forefront
Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach established Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (now the Mercedes-Benz Group). Maybach designed their first car. It had 4 cylinders with operated exhaust valves in the camshaft.
Year: 1894
Image Source: Wikipedia
Boxermotor
Karl Benz’s Boxermotor increased fuel economy and provided smoother acceleration with a horizontally opposed piston in engines. This design is still used in high-performance engines such as Porsche and racing cars.
Year: 1896
Image Source: Wikipedia
The Era of Mass Production
Henry Ford transformed the automobile industry. He promoted the mass production of cars and pursued marketing strategies that made his cars popular in every corner of North America.
Est. 1903
Image Source: Wikipedia
Post-Modern Era Cars
During the World Wars, closed-bodied cars with multi-valve camshafts were the most popular. Lancia Lambda, Bugatti Type 35, and Ford Model A were some sought-after cars of the era.
Image Source: Wikipedia
Electric Cars
As the world consciously strives toward carbon neutrality, the electrification of automobiles is now at its peak. Global EV sales show a significant spike year after year, indicating the onset of the EV era.
Image Source: Wikipedia