When was the first car made? The inventors behind the first automobiles. (2024)

Since their invention, cars have become a major part of people's day-to-day. In the U.S. alone, there were a total of278,063,737 personal and commercial vehiclesregistered to drivers in 2021, according to Forbes.

And with so many models and makes to choose from, such as the Tesla and Ford 5150, transportation experiences are different from person to person. It may be hard to believe each distinct car started from the same beginnings but they did. It's time to hit the gas and learn some automobile history.

When were cars invented?

In 1886, Benz created the three-wheeled motor car, known as the “Motorwagen." This vehicle often is considered the first truly modern automobile.

On Jan. 29, 1886, Benz applied for a patent for his "vehicle powered by a gas engine.”Some regard the vehicle's patent as "the birth certificate of the automobile." Later that year, the Benz Patent Motor Car, modelNo. 1, made its first public outing. The car was "powered by an internal combustion engine: three-wheeled, four-cycle, engine and chassis form a single unit," according to the Library of Congress.

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Who invented the car?

While Benz is widely regarded for his automobile invention, it is hard to pinpoint a single creator for the car.

There have been various other automobiles – steam, electric, and gasoline – throughout history, that were invented before and after Benz's. Accounts dating back to the 15th century even show Leonardo da Vinci had created designs and models for transport vehicles, according to the Library of Congress.

In 1769, the first self-propelled road vehicle powered by steam was invented by Nicolas-Joseph Cugno. The first electric carriage was invented by Robert Anderson. In 1886, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach invented the first four-wheel, four-stroke engine, gasoline automobile: the “Cannstatt-Daimler.” Some regard the 1901 Mercedes, designed by Maybach,as the "first modern motorcar in all essentials."

In 1893, J. Frank and Charles Duryeainvented the first successful American gasoline automobile. This vehicle won the first American car racein 1895.

There are many people responsible for the modern cars we drive today, and innovations continue to be made toward our vehicles.

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