Types of Antique Cars
The American automobile has been in production for over 110 years. During the early 1900s there were over 500 automobile manufacturers and by 1908 over 300 of those manufacturers had gone bankrupt. The automobiles produced from 1897 to 1910 included three distinct types that could be powered by batteries, steam or gasoline.
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The Electric Car
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In 1900 the electric car outsold every other car manufactured in the United States. The Baker Vehicle Company produced one of the most notable electric cars from 1899 to 1916. William Baker designed his electric car by using Thomas A. Edison's newly invented alkaline batteries. Thomas Edison was so impressed with the car he became one of the first owners in 1902. The Baker electric car could produce speeds of up to 25 miles per hour and a range of up to 50 miles. The electric car was quiet and easy to operate, which made it very popular with women. One specially equipped Baker electric car known as the "Baker Torpedo" achieved speeds of over 75 mph.
Steam Car
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In the early 1900s there were over 125 steam car manufacturers in the United States. Freelan and Francis Stanley introduced a very successful steam car design in 1897. Nearly 200 orders were placed as soon as the car was introduced to the public. The Stanley Steamer was popular with the rich and affectionately became known as the "Flying Teapot." The demand for the car grew among the very rich because it was quiet and more powerful than any car available at that time.
Innovation
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A renewed interest in the steam-powered car came about after Abner Doble invented a new type of oil burner that quickly produced steam. No longer did the driver of a steam-powered car have to wait 20 minutes for a flame to produce enough steam power to operate the car. The Stanley brothers produced over 11,000 cars during their 25-year production run.
Electric Starter
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Up until 1912 gasoline-powered automobiles had to be hand cranked to start the engine. It was a dirty and dangerous procedure that if not done properly resulted in broken hands and arms. The invention of the electric starter by Charles Kettering in 1912 resolved this problem. Gasoline-powered cars that were equipped with electric starters cost half as much as electric and steam-powered cars. The price difference between the three types of automobiles spelled the end for the electric and steam cars. The Baker Vehicle Company shut its doors in 1916 and Stanley Steamer closed its assembly line in 1924.
The Gasoline Car
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In 1893 Charles and Frank Duryea built the first American automobile in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Duryea brothers offered their first car for sale in 1897. Ransome E. Olds (1864-1950) invented the first automobile assembly line and produced 425 of the "Curved Dash Olds" in 1901. From 1901 to 1904 Olds produced more cars than anyone else in America. Henry Ford (1863-1947) introduced the Model T Ford in 1908 and later reduced its price so that any man at his assembly plant could afford to buy the car. Vehicle registrations soared from 8,000 cars in 1900 to 469,000 car registered in 1910.
Future Transportation
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Today the gasoline-powered car remains the dominant force in automobile manufacturing. The electric car has renewed interest because of gasoline supply and rising costs, plus the added benefit of zero emissions. Tomorrow's improvements in electric car battery technology and an upgraded national electrical power grid could once again produce an electric car to answer future transportation needs.
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