History of Car in Timeline

A car, also known as an automobile, is a wheeled motor vehicle designed for road use. Typically, a car seats one to eight people, has four wheels, and primarily transports people. Globally, there are approximately one billion cars currently in use.

1900: Death of Daimler and Daimler-Mercedes engine

In 1900, Daimler died and later that year, Maybach designed an engine named Daimler-Mercedes which was placed in a specially ordered model built to specifications set by Emil Jellinek.

1901: Oldsmobile Starts Production-Line Manufacturing

In 1901, Ransom Olds started large-scale, production-line manufacturing of affordable cars at his Oldsmobile factory in Lansing, Michigan.

1901: Oldsmobile Curved Dash Introduced

In 1901, the Oldsmobile Curved Dash, an American car, was introduced and is widely considered one of the first mass-produced cars.

1902: Studebaker Commences Sales of Electric Vehicles

In 1902, Studebaker, a subsidiary of a wagon and coach manufacturer, started sales of electric vehicles.

1902: Mercedes car model produced

In 1902, a new model DMG car was produced, named Mercedes after the Maybach engine, which generated 35 hp.

1904: Studebaker Commences Sales of Petrol Vehicles

In 1904, Studebaker commenced sales of petrol vehicles.

1908: Ford Model T Introduced

In 1908, the Ford Model T, an American car, was introduced and is widely considered one of the first mass-affordable cars.

1910: Electric Ignition by Charles Kettering

In 1910, Charles Kettering developed electric ignition for the Cadillac Motor Company.

1911: Electric Self-Starter by Charles Kettering

In 1911, Charles Kettering developed the electric self-starter for the Cadillac Motor Company.

1911: Founding of Ford France and Ford Britain

In 1911, Ford expanded internationally with the founding of Ford France and Ford Britain, marking the global spread of the assembly line production method.

1911: Selden's patent overturned

In 1911, George Selden's car patent was challenged by Henry Ford and others, and ultimately overturned, removing a significant obstacle to automotive development in the United States.

1913: Ford Introduces Moving Assembly Line

In 1913, Henry Ford greatly expanded the assembly line concept with the world's first moving assembly line for cars at the Highland Park Ford Plant.

1913: Assembly Line Bottleneck

In 1913, paint became a bottleneck in Ford's assembly line. Only Japan black would dry fast enough, forcing the company to drop other colors.

1914: Model T Affordability

In 1914, an assembly line worker could buy a Model T with four months' pay, demonstrating the increasing affordability of cars.

1919: Citroën Enters Car Production

In 1919, Citroën came to cars in France, joining the ranks of mass-manufacturers and contributing to a surge in car production.

1920: Decline in American Car Makers

In 1920, there were about two hundred American car makers in existence, but the high costs associated with car manufacturing led to decline of smaller companies.

1921: Citroën Adopts Production Method

In 1921, Citroën became the first native European manufacturer to adopt the assembly line production method.

1922: Isuzu Builds Wolseley A-9

In 1922, Isuzu partnered with European companies to build the Wolseley A-9, one of the early examples of car production in Japan.

1923: Morris Begins Vertical Integration

Beginning in 1923, Morris followed Ford's practice of vertical integration, acquiring British subsidiaries and competitors.

1923: Founding of Ford Denmark

In 1923, Ford Denmark was founded as Ford continued its global expansion.

1924: Morris Sets Up Production Line

In 1924, Morris set up its production line at Cowley, and soon outsold Ford, becoming a major player in the British car market.

1925: Founding of Ford Germany

In 1925, Ford Germany was founded.

1925: Morris Market Share

In 1925, Morris had 41 percent of total British car production, demonstrating its dominance in the market.

1926: Fast-Drying Duco Lacquer Developed

In 1926, fast-drying Duco lacquer was developed, resolving the paint bottleneck issue that arose from the moving assembly line.

1930: Automotive Company Decline

By 1930, 250 companies that did not adopt assembly lines had disappeared, highlighting the necessity of the production method.

1930: Survival of American Car Makers

By 1930, only 43 of the original two hundred American car makers in existence in 1920 survived.

1940: Further Decline of American Car Makers

With the onset of the Great Depression, by 1940, only 17 of the 43 American car makers that existed in 1930 were still in business.

2017: Peak of petrol-fuelled cars production

In 2017, production of petrol-fuelled cars peaked.

2018: Most Congested Cities

In 2018, Moscow, Istanbul, Bogotá, Mexico City and São Paulo were the world's most congested cities.

2019: Cars Oil Consumption

As of 2019, cars consume almost a quarter of world oil production.

2019: Typical Car Weight

As of 2019, cars typically weigh between 1 and 3 tonnes.

2020: Worldwide car manufacturing

In 2020, there were 56 million cars manufactured worldwide, a decrease from the 67 million produced the previous year.

July 2021: European Commission Introduces "Fit for 55" Legislation

In July 2021, the European Commission introduced the "Fit for 55" legislation package, outlining directives for the automotive sector's future.

2022: Cars Contribution to CO2 Emissions

In 2022, cars and vans caused 10% of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.

2023: Electric Car Emissions

As of 2023, electric cars produce about half the emissions over their lifetime as diesel and petrol cars.

2024: Electric Car Presence

By the end of 2024, less than one in twenty cars on the world's roads were fully electric and plug-in hybrid cars.

2025: Electric Car Sales

As of 2025, one in four cars sold is electric.

2025: Plans to stop selling fossil cars

Many countries plan to stop selling fossil cars altogether between 2025 and 2050.

2035: Zero-Emission Mandate in Europe

According to the "Fit for 55" legislation, by 2035, all newly sold cars in the European market must be Zero-emissions vehicles.

2050: Plans to stop selling fossil cars