Who Invented the Automobile?
1 Answers
The widely recognized inventor of the first automobile is German Karl Friedrich Benz. However, the world's first steam-powered three-wheeled vehicle was created by Frenchman N.J. Cugnot in 1769. In 1886, Germany's Karl Benz manufactured the world's first gasoline-powered three-wheeled automobile, which was patented on January 29 of the same year. Therefore, January 29 is considered the birth date of the automobile, and 1886 is regarded as the birth year of the automobile. This vehicle was equipped with a horizontal single-cylinder two-stroke gasoline engine with a displacement of 785cc, producing 0.89 horsepower and capable of reaching 15 kilometers per hour. The car featured small front wheels and large rear wheels, with the engine mounted above the rear axle. Power was transmitted to the rear wheels via chains and gears. Benz's three-wheeled automobile incorporated several features of modern cars, such as spark ignition, water cooling circulation, a steel tube frame, leaf spring suspension, rear-wheel drive, front-wheel steering, and a brake handle.