History Of Car Engines

The Journey of the Automobile: How Innovators Shaped Today’s Engines

Imagine a world where cars were never invented, we’d be looking at a world that was all too familiar for people in the 1500’s and earlier. We’d see unpaved roads, horse-drawn carriages and a lack of suburban living. People would not normally go far in their daily lives as most walked, most stores were nearby and convenient for them. Cars brought long-distance travel, but it took all the innovators that contributed a few hundred years to get to the cars we see today at our auto mechanic shop Chandler AZ. What made the change from the first cars was the engine: steam, electric and internal combustion. The evolution of the automobile’s engine came from one inventor inspired by another, which made way for the cars on the road today.

From Steam-Powered Beginnings to Modern Cars

The first self-powered systems, initially used to pull water out of mines, were activated by steam. The first steam engine invented is credited to Thomas Newcomen in 1712. Steam had been used for power for centuries before commercial engine use by Nicolas Joseph Cugnot starting with the first vehicle in history, the fardier à vapeur, in 1769. The vehicle wasn’t the most practical as the steam engine was in the front of the vehicle, so as the driver would move forward, the steam would blow right into the driver’s face. The weight of the vehicle was mostly due to the weight of the engine and with that being so heavy in the front, it made the machine very unstable. The vehicle drove 2-3 MPH, people could have walked at about the same speed, but the whole idea behind it was that we didn’t have to and neither did horses. It is also said that Cugnot was the first person to ever be in a car accident, right into a brick wall, going 2-3 MPH. Now, if you’re ever in an accident like that, feel free to stop by your local auto shop in Arizona and get it checked out.

Steam-powered vehicles weren’t the most practical for the average person, as they were mostly used to haul heavy objects or help with farming, so other inventors moved onto the next progressive advancement: the electric vehicle. Many inventors contributed to the invention of the electric engine over time. It was discovered by Allesandro Volta that electricity can be emitted by conducting metals in 1800. Throughout the years, until 1834, many people and their ideas contributed to the building of the first true electric motor by Moritz Jacobi. Between the years 1832 and 1839, another man named Robert Anderson had built the first carriage run by an electric motor. It wasn’t until the late 1800’s that these vehicles became popular by practicality. By 1900, EV had advanced in range, passenger room, no smell and none of the sounds gasoline and steam engines brought. All was great but the price, which is what changed everything when Henry Ford made gas-powered vehicles much more affordable. The result of this ultimately made electric cars extinct, but made a reappearance in the 1970’s and you’ll likely see more EVs at auto repair Chandler AZ in the upcoming years.

How the Combustion Engine Revolutionized Vehicles and Made History

The combustion engine came to life just like the previous engines, advancements came one person at a time. The first four-stroke engine was patented in 1862 by Alphonse Beau de Rochas, but he never built it. The first successful four-stroke engine was built in 1876 by Nikolaus August Otto by merging Rochas’ and innovator, Lenoir’s, ideas at the time. It was in 1885 that Karl Benz, co-creator of Mercedes Benz, is considered to be the first to create internal combustion engine powered vehicle. The following year, he had the car patented and began selling it publicly six months later. Around this time electric cars were on the rise, but it wasn’t until 1908 that vehicles with combustion engines became more popular. Steam-powered vehicles shortly after became obsolete. Henry Ford had made a car that was affordable for everyone: a fraction of the price of electric vehicles. The people still love them, combustion engines are the majority of vehicles we see in our Arizona auto repair shops.

The Shift to Electric Cars: What Will 2040 Hold for the Auto Industry?

Soon enough, electric cars will be on the rise again as it is projected that 95% of new cars will be EV by the time 2040 comes around. They are now made affordable for the general public, but many are understandably reluctant about the change. Who knows, we might see advancements in water powered engines in the future?