Mar 22, 2025
German engineer Karl Benz built the world’s first car, the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, in 1885. This pioneering vehicle ran on a petrol-powered internal combustion engine and received a patent in 1886, marking the birth of the modern automobile.
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Karl Benz’s wife, Bertha Benz, took the first long-distance journey in the car without informing her husband. In 1888, she drove 106 km (66 miles) from Mannheim to Pforzheim, proving the car’s practicality and helping to refine its design.
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Unlike today’s cars, the first automobile had just three wheels—two at the back and one in the front. This design made it resemble a motorised tricycle rather than the four-wheeled vehicles we see on the roads today.
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The engine of the Benz Patent-Motorwagen was a single-cylinder, four-stroke engine producing just 0.75 horsepower. Despite its modest power, this revolutionary engine allowed the car to reach speeds of up to 10 mph (16 km/h).
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The wheels of the first car were made of wood with iron rims, similar to those found on horse-drawn carriages. This traditional design was adapted for early automobiles before rubber tyres became standard.
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The first car did not have a conventional steering wheel. Instead, it used a simple tiller to control direction, similar to the handlebars of a bicycle. This made handling the vehicle quite different from modern cars.
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The Benz Patent-Motorwagen was a luxury item at the time, costing 600 German marks in 1885. This price made it unaffordable for most people, and only a few units were built and sold in the early years.
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Unlike modern cars, the first automobile did not have a fuel tank. Instead, Bertha Benz had to stop at a pharmacy to buy ligroin (a petroleum-based solvent) to keep the car running during her historic journey.
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During her famous journey, Bertha Benz stopped at a pharmacy in Wiesloch to buy fuel, making it the world’s first ‘petrol station’. This event highlighted the need for refuelling points, shaping the future of vehicle infrastructure.
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Karl Benz’s invention laid the foundation for the modern automotive industry. Over time, improvements in engine technology, road networks, and mass production, particularly by Henry Ford, transformed cars into a global necessity.
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