Invention Of Cars – How It all Began

The sleek and sophisticated vehicles we drive and see today did not just emerge. They were developed gradually from the earliest models to the ones we have now. They have evolved from when the wheel was first invented and through several other stages. It all began with the primitive carriages of the 1880s to the sophisticated, luxurious and comfortable vehicles of today.

THE WHEEL

The invention of the wheel marked the infancy stage in the development of transportation that we have today. It was inspired by people’s quest for easier and better means of transportation. It was then discovered, that rounded objects (wheels), when being pushed, could move more easily and effortlessly with heavy things placed on them. The wheels were designed with axles to help them remain static. At this stage, the wheeled vehicles were drawn by people, oxen or horses. But in the 18^th century, they were replaced by the steam-powered vehicles. The first steam vehicle was built by Nicholas Cugnot (1725-1804). The project of steam powered vehicles was soon dropped due to its failure to meet certain goals. It is recorded that his first steam vehicle travelled at a steady speed of 3km/hr and runs out of steam in less than 25 minutes. Cugnot second vehicle also failed.

The ancient wheel

THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES

As a result of the shortcomings of the steam powered
engines, it was not an option considering the need of personal mobility. They
were too heavy and only operated on rails. It was important that individual
vehicles have defined and reliable source of power to drive them, they should
be of moderate weight and more moveable. Consequently, the idea of an internal
combustion engine that contained an air-fuel mixture within it was conceived.

In the 1850s, a French engineer, Etienne Lenoir built a two
stroke engine in which a mixture of air an gas was use to push the piston to
the far end of the cylinder creating a
power stroke after which another power stroke was created and the exhaust gas
was expelled. That engine had a major disadvantage in that air was not
compressed before being burnt. As a result a result, the engine produced less
power and was inefficient. However Lenoir’s engine was far better than the
steam engine it had higher thermal efficiency.

EARLY GERMAN INVENTIONS

The invention of gasoline engines began when a German technician, Nikolaus August Otto made significant steps in the further development of steam engine. He made the otto-cycle engine which is the familiar gasoline engine used in automobiles. Hence, it was name after him. Together with his friend Eugen Langen (1833-1895), he developed a four stroke cycle in 1876.

In 1885, other German engineers and Otto’s workers; Gottlieb Daimler (1834-1900) and Wilhelm Maybach (1847-1929) improved on Otto’s 4 stroke engine. They installed a single cylinder engine on a two wheeled frame thereby achieving the first motorcycle. The same engine was later installed on a four wheeled wagon to make the first internal combustion engine car (volti 4) Carl Benz, another German engineer (1844-1902) made a three wheeled vehicle that used Otto’s 4-stroke combustion engine. His invention was better than that of Daimler in that he was able to make a journey of 200 kilometres with his family in it and that was the beginning of personalized road trips. (image) So Germany has the credit of manufacturing the first car. France also shares the credit for making considerable effort in the automobile industry. Peugeot a steel metal company made the first car that used a v-twin engine which Daimler earlier designed. Peugeot later produce her own design that we know today.