THE HISTORY OF CARS

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 traveled at a steady speed of 3km/hr and runs out of steam in less than 25 minutes. Cugnot second vehicle also failed.

An 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 and 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.

Two stroke Engine

 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.

 THE AMERICANS JOIN THE INDUSTRY

The Americans made giant strides in the manufacturing of other industrial products like fire arms, watches, typewriters etc. however they were slow in joining the automobile industry. The first American car was designed in 1893 by Charles and Frank Duryea from Massachusetts. The car was propelled by an engine with single cylinder and it used a spray carburetor and electric ignition. In the next year, (1894) Elmer and Apperson produced the first gasoline car. The Duryea motor wagon company was inaugurated in 1895 and they specialized in gasoline cars.

Henry Ford built his first vehicle Quadricycle Runabout (QR) In 1896. It Looked more like a carriage crossed with two bicycles than cars that we drive now. It was gasoline powered and chain driven.  The vehicle, Quadricycle Runabout (QR) consisted of a two-cylinder engine and chassis mounted on four bicycle wheels with no brakes. It had a top speed of 40 km/h (25 mph).He registered the Ford motor Company in 1903. (Attach image). In 1908, other car builders in the US like Ransom E. Olds and williams C. Durant joined the race and founded General motors.

Henry Ford and wife in his Quadricycle Runabout in 1896

 JAPANESE TECHNOLOGY

The Japanese came into the industry in 1933 when Kiichiro Toyoda established an automobile department in his father’s loom factory – Toyoda Automatic Loom works Ltd after a trip to tour United States automobile plants. The company concentrated on fuel efficient vehicles and completed its first experiment in 1935. They became one of the world’s leading manufacturers of automobiles and light trucks base in Toyota, Japan

Toyoda resigned as head of the company in 1949. His successors, Eiji Toyoda and Shoichi Saito, began investing in efficient, modern facilities to produce more sophisticated automobiles. In 1954 the company developed the Kanban system, based on a system for stocking the shelves at a supermarket, which ensured that manufacturing parts remained in stock. Toyota introduced a number of new vehicles in the 1950s, including the four-wheel-drive Land Cruiser in 1951, the Crown in 1955, and the Corona in 1957.

In the 1960s the company continued to expand its production facilities to meet the growing worldwide need for economical cars. The Toyota Corolla, introduced in 1966, became extremely popular in Japan and elsewhere and by 1970 Toyota had become the world’s fourth largest auto manufacturer. The company introduced the Celica in 1970, the Tercel in 1978, and the Camry in 1980, all of which became popular models.

By 1980 Japan produced more cars than the United States, and Toyota trailed only General Motors Corporation (GM) in worldwide production. The company changed its name to Toyota Motor Corporation in 1982. In 1984 Toyota joined with GM to build a car production plant in Lexington, Kentucky. Over the next ten years, Toyota invested $6.5 billion in production plants in North America.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Toyota shifted its emphasis to higher-priced cars, including the successful Lexus line. A global recession resulted in lowered profits, but Toyota remained among the largest car companies in the world.

In 1997 Toyota became the first auto manufacturer to mass-produce a car powered by a combination of electricity and gasoline. The Toyota Prius doubles the fuel efficiency of conventional gasoline-powered cars and dramatically reduces toxic emissions. Toyota sold 30,000 of these hybrid cars in Japan between 1997 and 1999. The Prius became available in North America in 2000.

In the first quarter of 2007, Toyota outsold GM for the first time in its history. The company sold 109,000 more vehicles than GM, making it the leading seller of cars and light trucks in the world. Automotive analysts expected the trend to continue for the remainder of the calendar year.

One of the most recent Japanese inventions

From the aforementioned stages and developments, the luxurious and sleek cars we see and drive today evolved from very primitive inventions. The history of cars dates back to about 250 years
ago and took place in several countries in Europe and the US. This invention
has helped shape various cultures in the world.

Sources of information:                                                                                                                             ivypanda.com, Microsoft Encarta premium

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