Ford's first car, the Quadricycle, was built in 1896. However, the Ford Motor Company wasn't founded until 1903. This distinction is crucial because while the Quadricycle was Henry Ford's personal prototype, the 1903 founding date marks the start of commercial production that made cars accessible to the masses.
Henry Ford built the Quadricycle in a shed behind his Detroit home. This gasoline-powered vehicle featured a simple frame, four bicycle wheels, and a two-cylinder engine capable of about 20 mph. Its successful test run on June 4, 1896, proved the viability of Ford's vision. But this was not a production car; it was a proof-of-concept.
The real milestone came seven years later. On June 16, 1903, the Ford Motor Company was incorporated. The first car sold to the public was the Model A, which began production later that same year. The company's true breakthrough, the Model T, debuted in 1908 and revolutionized transportation with its affordability and the innovation of the moving assembly line.
| Key Milestone | Date | Significance |
|---|
| Quadricycle Completed | June 4, 1896 | Henry Ford's first successful horseless carriage prototype. |
| Ford Motor Company Founded | June 16, 1903 | The official start of the corporation that would mass-produce automobiles. |
| First Production Car (Model A) | Late 1903 | The first Ford car sold to the public. |
| Introduction of Model T | October 1, 1908 | The car that "put America on wheels" and made Ford a household name. |
So, when you ask when Ford built its first car, the answer is 1896 for the prototype. For the first car built by the Ford Motor Company, it was 1903.
