Automobiles are the main means of transportation for most people around the world. The United States alone accounts for one-quarter of the world’s total, and about 70 million new vehicles are built each year. The automobile market is becoming more competitive, with manufacturers introducing new designs more frequently. The average American drives about three trillion miles per year.
Benz’s invention
In 1871, Benz founded his first business, the Iron Foundry and Machine Shop, where he produced building materials. In 1872, he married Bertha Ringer, a woman who was active in the business. In 1888, he won a gold medal at the Munich Imperial Exhibition for his automobile. This achievement brought him numerous orders for automobiles and he was able to build the company into a large one. By the end of 1889, the Benz Company employed 50 people and moved into a larger factory.
Benz’s wife, Bertha, helped publicize his Patent-Motorwagen by driving it on its first long-distance road trip. In 1888, she was accompanied by her sons, Eugen and Richard. They drove 66 miles in the Motorwagen, which was made to be a family car. As fuel, Bertha purchased ligroin from a pharmacy in Wiesloch. Later, he added gears for hill-climbing and brake pads to the automobile.
Daimler’s invention
Gottlieb Daimler’s invention of an internal combustion engine was an important step towards making the automobile a commercial success. The German engineer had been an apprentice in a gunsmith’s shop when he was only ten years old. After graduating from school, he worked in a factory with a friend, Wilhelm Maybach. The two worked together on developing new designs for engines. Daimler married Emma Kunz in 1867, the daughter of a pharmacist, and they had five sons.
After the Deutz-AG merger, Daimler and Maybach forged a partnership, and the two acquired a small house in Cannstatt, Germany. They paid the property’s owner seventy-five thousand gold marks for it, and then built a brick addition on the summerhouse to use as a workshop. However, the neighbors complained that the two were counterfeiters, and the police raided the house when the owners were away. The police confiscated a number of engines.
Benz’s internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine in automobiles was developed by Karl Benz. He patented the first engine and automobile patents in 1879. His work eventually led to the founding of Mercedes-Benz. While his first attempt was not particularly successful, his subsequent improvements allowed him to produce a practical engine for vehicles.
The early Motorwagen was a slow-moving machine, and customers were often faced with problems like gasoline shortages. It also had to be pushed up steep hills. To overcome these problems, Benz’s wife, Berta, suggested that the car be equipped with an additional gear. Berta Benz then drove the vehicle 106 km (50 miles) without her husband’s knowledge.
Ford’s internal combustion engine
The Ford Motor Company is making plans to run its internal combustion engine on hydrogen. It’s an idea that has received some attention in the past few years, but no other automaker has joined the effort. Researchers at Ford have been working on the project for years, and they’ve recently achieved some significant breakthroughs. They’ve found ways to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide (which causes smog) and carbon dioxide (a so-called greenhouse gas that many scientists fear contributes to global warming).
In March, Ford announced a new restructuring plan called “Ford Blue” that includes an additional $3 billion in annual savings. While the company will continue to sell cars powered by gasoline and diesel, it will focus on EVs in the future. This restructuring may also lead other automakers to dedicate a portion of their business to EVs, or seek partnerships to build EVs.
Ford’s body-on-frame construction
Body-on-frame construction has several advantages over other designs. For example, it is much easier to modify and redesign a vehicle with body-on-frame construction. The frame can be reused multiple times, and changes to the body can be made without having to rebuild the entire vehicle. This approach also helps reduce the cost of manufacturing and design. It also makes the vehicle much easier to repair after an accident.
Body-on-frame construction was used by Ford up until the Ford Explorer 99. In 2001, Ford began producing a true SUV, the Ford Escape, with unibody construction that gave it an SUV-like ride. A few years later, Ford produced a crossover version, the Ford Edge, which featured unibody construction and SUV ground clearance.