The history of mankind has known many inventions, but only a few of them radically changed the way of life, the speed of movement and even the geography of people’s settlement. The first gasoline car became just such a milestone event, dividing history into “before” and “after”. For a long time, humanity relied on the power of muscle, wind or steam, which were either too weak or required bulky boiler plants unsuitable for light transport.
The end of the 19th century was marked by a real technical fever in Europe, where engineers were looking for a way to compactly burn fuel to produce energy. It was during this period, in 1886, that the world saw Benz Patent-Motorwagen - a three-wheeled carriage, which is officially considered the first car with an internal combustion engine running on liquid hydrocarbon fuel. It was not just an improved carriage, but a fundamentally new mechanism that laid the foundation for the entire modern automotive industry.
The path to the creation of this miracle of technology was littered with patents, litigation and bold experiments. To understand how we came to modern hybrid systems and powerful V8, it is necessary to analyze in detail the device and history of the first prototype. In this article we will not delve into dry dates, but will look at the engineering solutions that allowed the car to go.
Prerequisites for the appearance of the internal combustion engine
Before gasoline became the “lifeblood” of civilization, engineers experimented with various gases. The first attempts to create an engine running on a combustible mixture date back to the middle of the 19th century. However, these installations were stationary, huge and extremely inefficient. Thermal efficiency Such machines left much to be desired, and the use of lighting gas made them tied to the city gas network.
The key moment was Nikolaus Otto's invention of the four-stroke cycle, which still underlies the operation of most gasoline engines. This cycle, known as the Otto cycle, allowed for significant improvements in fuel combustion efficiency. However, to install such an engine on a vehicle, it was necessary to solve the fuel problem: it was impossible to carry gas with you in sufficient quantities; liquid energy carrier.
⚠️ Attention: Early engines often ran on naphtha - a mixture of light hydrocarbons obtained during the distillation of oil, since pure gasoline in the modern sense was not yet mass produced.
Engineers of that time were faced with the problem of fuel evaporation. The liquid had to be turned into gas before burning, and the first carburetors They were simple wicks immersed in gasoline through which air was blown. It was primitive, but it was precisely such solutions that made it possible to move away from stationary gas pipes and think about mobility.
Karl Benz and the birth of the Patent-Motorwagen
Karl Benz, a talented engineer from Mannheim, was not the first to try to create a self-propelled trolley, but he was the first to create a working, reliable and commercially successful car. His Motorwagen was equipped with a single-cylinder four-stroke engine with a volume of 954 cubic centimeters. The power of this unit was only 0.9 horsepower, which seems ridiculous to a modern person, but for that time it was a revolution.
The design of the first car was extremely simple, but ingenious in its essence. Benz used a tubular steel frame, which made the car lighter than its wooden counterparts. Three wheels were chosen not because of a good life, but because of steering problems: creating a reliable steering mechanism for four wheels was then a difficult engineering task. Differential, invented earlier, allowed the wheels to spin at different speeds when cornering, which was critical for stability.
- 🚗 Engine: Single-cylinder, horizontal, with a horizontal flywheel.
- ⚙️ Transmission: Belt drive with two pulleys of different diameters to change the gear ratio.
- 🔥 Ignition: Glow ignition (platinum tube heated by a gas burner).
- 🛢️ Cooling: Water, evaporative type (the water boiled and required frequent topping up).
It is important to note that Benz integrated all components into a single system designed specifically for transporting people, and not as an engine for a machine placed on a cart. He developed electric battery ignition (in later versions), accelerator to control speed and even a lubrication system for rubbing parts. All this did Patent-Motorwagen a full-fledged car.
Technical characteristics of the first car
To appreciate the scale of engineering at the end of the 19th century, it is worth considering in detail the parameters of the first machine. It was not fast: the maximum speed was about 16-18 km/h. By comparison, a good horse could reach comparable speeds over a short distance without the car getting tired. Fuel consumption was enormous by modern standards - about 10 liters per 100 kilometers, which, with a small tank, required frequent refueling.
The power system worked by gravity: gasoline from a tank located above the engine dripped into the carburetor. Mixing with air took place in a surface carburetor. Ignition occurred at the right moment thanks to a complex system of levers and cams that opened the gas burner under the glow tube. Ignition system was the most unreliable element, often requiring driver intervention.
| Parameter | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Year of issue | 1885-1886 | Patent received in 1886 |
| Engine | 1 cylinder, 4 strokes | Volume 954 cm³ |
| Power | 0.9 hp | At 400 rpm |
| Max. speed | 16-18 km/h | Depends on the load |
| Transmission | Belt + chain | 2 speeds + neutral |
This device weighed about 250 kilograms, which was quite a lot for two people, but the frame could withstand the load. Brake system was a simple wooden shoe, which was pressed against the rim of the rear wheel with a lever. Braking efficiency was low, so the driver had to calculate the trajectory in advance.
Bertha Benz: The world's first auto traveler
History would have preserved the name of Karl Benz as an eccentric inventor if not for his wife, Bertha. While Karl was perfecting the drawings and was afraid of public demonstrations, fearing ridicule or breakdown, Bertha realized that the car needed to be shown to people in action. In August 1888, early in the morning, while her husband was sleeping, she and her two sons stole Motorwagen and went from Mannheim to Pforzchem to visit her mother.
To overcome a distance of 106 kilometers (according to various sources from 90 to 106 km) on a prototype without brakes, with primitive controls and a constant risk of boiling was madness. Along the way, Bertha had to show miracles of ingenuity. When she ran out of fuel, she bought "clothing gasoline" (naphtha) from pharmacies along the way, effectively the world's first car refueling. When the copper fuel line became clogged, she cleaned it with hatpin wire.
⚠️ Attention: At that time there were no roads for cars, so Bertha had to push the car up the hill and constantly go around frightened horses.
The most critical moment was the breakdown of the brake mechanism. The wooden shoes were rubbed off by the wheels. Bertha found a shoemaker in one of the villages and asked him to line the brakes with leather. This was the birth of the first in the world brake linings. Arriving in Pforzchem in the evening, she telegraphed her husband about her safe arrival. This trip proved: a car is not a toy, but a reliable means of transport.
What did Bertha take with her?
She put spare parts, tools, woolen threads for insulating wires and even food in her luggage (baskets), since there were no restaurants.
Evolution of the fuel system and engine
After Bertha's successful triumph, Karl Benz began to actively improve his brainchild. First of all, he improved the ignition system, abandoning the open flame in favor of a magneto, which made starting easier and safer. Then it was the carburetor's turn. Surface carburetors, where air simply passed over the gasoline, did not provide the required power and were temperature dependent.
Appearance float carburetor (invented by Schlanpfer, but quickly introduced by Benz and others) allowed precise fuel metering. The gasoline was now atomized, creating a homogeneous mixture. This made it possible to increase engine speed and, consequently, power. Cars started driving faster than 30 km/h, which required improvement brake system and pendants.
- 📈 Power: By 1893, the power of Benz engines reached 3 hp.
- 🔄 Cylinders: Two-cylinder opposed engines (Contramotor) appeared.
- 🛞 Wheels: Wooden spokes were replaced by metal ones, and pneumatic tires appeared.
By the end of the 19th century, the car ceased to be a curiosity. Mass production began, the first races appeared, which became a testing ground for new technical solutions. Lubrication system became forced, and cooling became water with a pump, which allowed the engines to operate for hours without overheating.
Interesting fact: The first drivers had to carry a gaff with a red flag to warn pedestrians and horses about the approach of a “terrible beast” (car).
Comparison with steam and electric analogues
You can often hear that electric cars are an invention of the 21st century, but this is not true. At the end of the 19th century, electric carriages were popular in the United States, especially among women, since they did not require physical force to start (turning a flywheel) and did not stain clothes. Steam engines were also common, especially for freight transport and buses, due to their high-torque power.
Why did the gasoline car win? The main factor was fuel energy intensity. A tank of gas weighed much less than batteries of the era, which provided a similar range. Steam cars required 30-40 minutes to light the boiler before driving, while a gasoline car could be started (albeit with difficulty) in a couple of minutes. Infrastructure for the supply of oil developed faster than the network of charging stations or water intakes for steam.
In addition, gasoline engines were quickly becoming cheaper to produce. Electric motors required expensive batteries and complex electrical systems that often failed. Internal combustion engine turned out to be the “golden mean” in terms of price, range and ease of maintenance for that level of technology.
☑️ Why did gasoline win in the 19th century?
The legacy of the first car in the modern world
Today Patent-Motorwagen It seems archaic, but all the key elements of a modern car were already there: chassis, engine, transmission, steering, brakes. The principles laid down by Karl Benz have evolved, but have not changed dramatically. We still use the four-stroke cycle, piston groups and liquid cooling.
Modern environmental standards forcing engineers to return to the roots of the search for efficiency. Hybrid installations, where the internal combustion engine operates in optimal mode, and the electric motor helps at peak loads, are, in fact, a synthesis of ideas from the late 19th and early 21st centuries. The story of the first machine teaches us that progress is not linear, and the best solutions often come through a combination of different technologies.
⚠️ Attention: The first cars did not have reverse gear, so drivers had to turn the car around manually, which was especially difficult on the narrow streets of old cities.
In museums around the world, including the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, replicas and originals of the first cars are carefully preserved. They remind us of the courage of people who were not afraid to get into a “cart without a horse” and go into the unknown. Engineering thought of that time laid the foundation on which all our mobility today stands.
The invention of Karl Benz is not just the creation of an engine, but the formation of the concept of personal transport, accessible (in the future) to the masses.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it true that the first car had three wheels?
Yes, Benz Patent-Motorwagen had three wheels. Karl Benz chose this design because steering the two front wheels (steering axle) was a difficult task to implement at that time. Four-wheeled cars appeared a little later, when the problem of steering geometry (Ackerman geometry) was solved.
What fuel was used in the first car?
At that time, gasoline was practically not used as a separate type of fuel and was considered a hazardous waste during oil refining. Karl Bertz used naphtha, a light fraction of petroleum, which was sold in pharmacies as a means for cleaning clothes and removing stains. It was Bertha Benz who began buying it in pharmacies during her travels.
Did the first car have a gearbox?
In the modern sense, no. There was no gear transmission. The transmission of torque was carried out by a system of belts and pulleys of different diameters. By flipping the belt, the driver could change the gear ratio (essentially upshift or downshift) or open the gear (neutral).
How much did the first gasoline car cost?
Cost Patent-Motorwagen was about 600 marks (at the exchange rate of the late 1880s). For comparison, a good annual salary for a skilled worker was then about 500-600 marks. That is, the car was available only to very rich people or aristocrats.