Ford Didn't Invent The Car | WheelHouse | Donut Media

**The Evolution of the Automobile: A Story of Innovation**

In this episode of WheelHouse, we embark on a fascinating journey through the history of the automobile, tracing its development from humble beginnings to the sophisticated machines we know today.

For centuries, inventors and tinkerers have sought to create self-propelled transportation, each successive attempt building upon the previous incarnation. Who can claim to be the first car inventor? Let's find out.

**Ferdinand Verbiest: The First Car Boy**

Meet Ferdinand Verbiest, a Jesuit missionary living in Peking with the Kangxi Emperor. When not doing astronomy or working on the calendar, Verbiest was tinkering in his garage, inventing gadgets to entertain the emperor. He's often referred to as the first "Car Boy." His coolest invention? A two-foot long cart with a primitive steam engine on board.

Technically, that made him a CART boy (get it?). It was basically a plank with five wheels and a boiler that blew steam onto a little turbine, turning the wheels and making the car move. Verbiest had technically invented an automobile, but it was pretty small, so you couldn't ride it.

**Nicolas Cugnot: The French Pioneer**

In 1769, Nicolas Cugnot built the "Fardier à vapeur," a steam-powered wagon that followed the principles of Verbeist's toy cart. While it had a top speed of only 2.5 miles per hour, Cugnot's machine marked a significant step forward in automotive development.

Unfortunately, the French army funding the project was disappointed with its performance, and the Fardier was cancelled before reaching production. However, people have built working recreations of Cugnot's design, which are quite impressive.

**Richard Trevithick: The Puffing Devil**

Fast-forward to 1801, when Richard Trevithick unveiled his "Puffing Devil," a steam locomotive for the road. Trevithick was an ingenious inventor who loved working on machines, despite being illiterate. His design made the engine smaller but more prone to boiler explosions.

During its first test run, Trevithick's Devil successfully climbed a gentle slope in Cornwall, but its subsequent test run ended in disaster when it exploded due to a faulty boiler. This setback didn't deter inventors from pursuing their passion for creating self-propelled transportation.

**Jean Joseph Etienne Lenoir: The Four-Wheel Pioneer**

In the mid-19th century, Jean Joseph Etienne Lenoir built a four-wheel-powered vehicle that looked like a tricycle. His design marked another significant step forward in automotive development, as he successfully demonstrated his machine's capabilities on public roads.

Lenoir's contribution laid the groundwork for future innovators to build upon. As we'll see next, one of these pioneers would eventually create the first "real" car...

**Karl Benz: The First Real Car**

Meet Karl Benz, a master mechanic and cyclist who built the Benz Motorwagen in 1886. His design combined an internal combustion engine with a chassis, making it the first true automobile.

However, his wife, Bertha, played a crucial role in popularizing the Motorwagen by taking it on a historic 50-mile journey from Mannheim to her mother's house in Pforziem. This publicity stunt showcased the potential of the automobile as we know it today.

**The Benz Motorwagen: A Turning Point**

With its sleek design and efficient engine, the Benz Motorwagen marked a significant turning point in automotive history. It showed people that the future would be driven by the automobile.

Daimler, Mercedes-Benz's parent company, proudly proclaims on their website that they invented the automobile. While this might be an exaggeration, it's undeniable that Verbiest, Cugnot, Trevithick, Lenoir, and many other pioneers contributed to the development of the modern car.

**Conclusion**

In conclusion, the evolution of the automobile is a testament to human ingenuity and perseverance. From humble beginnings to the sophisticated machines we know today, each inventor built upon the previous one, paving the way for future innovators.

Thank you for joining me on this journey through the history of the automobile. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check out last week's WheelHouse, where we explored why we drive on the left versus right. Don't forget to like, comment, share, and subscribe!

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en(Steam engine noises)Lots of people tried for hundreds of yearsto create self propelled transportation; witheach successive attempt building on top ofthe previous incarnation.Who invented the first car?... Let’s findout. This is WheelHouse.Ferdinand Verbiest was Jesuit missionary hangingout in Peking with the Kangxi Emperor. WhenHe wasn’t doing astronomy or workingon the calendar, he was tinkering in the garage,inventing gadgets to entertain the emperor.He was basically the first Car Boy. His coolestinvention, by far, was a two foot long cartwith a primitive steam engine on board. Iguess technically that made him a CART boy.(Office noises, sighs)Dude, CART BOY, that was a good one!It was basically a plank with five wheelsand a boiler that blew steam on a little turbinethat turned the wheels and made the car move.Ferdinand had technically invented an automobile.BUT it was pretty small so you couldn’tride it. So it wasn’t really a car.Early steam engines came to prominence inthe 1700s, and it was only a matter of timebefore someone built a full size machine thatfollowed the principles of Verbeist’s toycart. French inventor Nicolas Cugnot did justthat in 1769, with his ‘Fardier a Vapeur’.And if I mispronounced that, you can sue mebecause I took Spanish in high school. Shoutsout uhh, wha..what was his name? Mr. Massie,Senor Massie. Atascadero High School, whatsup. Follow your dreams kids.The gargantuan size came at a cost, the SteamWagon only had a top speed of 2 and half milesan hour. The French army, which was fundingthe project, was kinda disappointed with theperformance. The Fardier was cancelled beforeit make it to production, but people havebuilt working recreations of Cugnot’s designand they’re pretty sweet. The front mountedsteam engine looks weird as hell but there’sa visible progression from Ferdinand Verbiest’stoy cart to Cugnot’s machine almost 100years later. But like the toy cart, the Fardierwas not a car either.Steam Technology progressed through the 19thcentury. In 1801, Richard Trevithick unveiledhis “Puffing Devil”, which wasn’t hisbong, but a steam locomotive for the road.Trevithick was basically illiterate for hisentire life but loved working on machines.The puffing devil was powered by a “strongsteam” engine similar to those used on riverboats. This updated design made the enginemuch smaller but more prone to boiler explosions.The Devil’s first test run was on Christmaseve when it successfully climbed up a gentleslope in Cornwall.A few days later, Trevithick took theDevil out for another drive. But for whateverreason forgot to put out the fire in the boilerand left the Devil just sitting outside. Withall this heat and steam building up with nowhereleft to go, pressure in the tank skyrocketed.And then...pop. Y’know sometimes you smokethe Puffing Devil, sometimes it smokes you.All these inventions so far are kind of carsbut each one is missing an element that keepsthem from being considered the “first”car by historians. Ferdinand Verbiest’stoy cart thing laid the groundwork for whatthe car would be but it was just a toy. NicolasCugnot realized the practical applicationof self propelled travel but was never ableto mass produce it. And the puffing devilkinda made people think twice about steamengines- because it exploded.So what would make the car..a car? Well ithas to be big enough to hold passengers, practicalenough that it can replace the hose and wagon,and it has to be reliable enough that it won’t blow up.Is there any early invention that can do allthree? Yeah, a few.In 1858 Jean Joseph Etienne Lenoir inventedthe first commercially successful internalcombustion engine. Being an inventor likethe rest of these guys, He decided to attachhis engine to a cart. Boom. Car. The ThreeWheeled Lenoir Hippomobile, that’s whathe called it, made the 11 mile journey fromParis to Joinville le Pont in three hours,not bad.But because the Hippomobile was basicallyjust an existing horse cart with an engineattached , historians don’t credit Lenoirwith the invention of the automobile. Thathonor goes to a guy named Karl Benz.German Patent Number 37435 was awarded toKarl Benz and his motorized carriage on January29th, 1886. The Benz Patent Motorwagen waspowered by a four stroke motor that Karl haddesigned himself. The 943cc motor produced⅔ of a horsepower at 230 rpm.If the Benz kinda looks like a tricycle, that’sbecause Benz was a huge cyclist and even rana repair shop before working on the Motorwagen.The tricycle layout made more sense to Benzover a four wheel carriage because it wasless complicated, lighter and easier to steerBenz worked on his design for years but washesitant to go into production. Would peopleeven want the Motorwagen? And How would peopleknow that it was better than a horse? Fortunatelyfor Karl, his wife would take matters intoher own hands.In the Summer of 1888, Bertha Benz borrowedthe Motorwagen when Karl wasn’t looking.She and her two sons planned to make the 50mile journey from Mannheim to her mom’shouse in Pforziem before sundown. She lefta note on the table and left at dawn. Berthahad to adjust the carburetor and make otherrepairs herself, and fueled up at pharmaciesas she went. She and the boys made it to Grandma’s houseas the sun went down.The trip was the one of world’s first automotivemarketing stunts, and showed people that thefuture would be driven by the automobile.Bertha’s drive was monumental in pushingboth the Benz Motorwagen and the idea of theautomobile as we know it onto the world stage.Without a doubt, the Benz Motorwagen is thefirst “real” car; both the engine andchassis were developed to function as oneunit. Daimler, Mercedes-Benz’s parent company,proudly proclaims on their website that theyinvented the automobile. But the car didn’tappear overnight.Verbiest, Cugnot, Trevithick, Lenoir and lotsof other guys, they didn’t create the first“real” car; but their contributions wereinstrumental in helping Benz make his.And He wouldn’t have succeeded without them.Nailed it.Alright.Thanks for watching WheelHouse, remember tolike comment share and subscribe. If you likedthis episode go check out last week’s WheelHouse,it’s about why we drive on the left versusright. If you want a shirt go to SHOP.DONUT.MEDIAwe’ve got shirts and stickers. Thanks :)