History of Car in Timeline

A car, also known as an automobile, is a wheeled motor vehicle predominantly used on roads. Typically, it accommodates one to eight passengers, has four wheels, and primarily serves for personal transportation rather than hauling cargo. As of 2025, there are over 1.6 billion cars in use globally, making them one of the most common forms of transportation.

1900: Daimler's Death and Maybach's New Engine

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

1901: Oldsmobile Factory Production

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 Electric Vehicle Sales

In 1902, Studebaker, a subsidiary of a long-established wagon and coach manufacturer, commenced sales of electric vehicles.

1902: Mercedes Car Production

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

1904: Studebaker Commences Petrol Vehicle Sales

In 1904, Studebaker, a subsidiary of a long-established wagon and coach manufacturer, 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 Developed by Kettering

In 1910, Charles Kettering developed electric ignition for the Cadillac Motor Company, a key development in automotive technology.

1911: Electric Self-Starter Developed by Kettering

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

1911: Ford France and Ford Britain Founded

In 1911, Ford France and Ford Britain were founded, marking the international expansion of Ford's automotive production.

1911: Selden's Patent Overturned

In 1911, Henry Ford and others challenged and overturned George Selden's car engine patent, which had previously hindered car development in the United States.

1913: Ford Assembly Line Efficiency

In 1913, Ford's cars came off the assembly line in 15-minute intervals, which was much faster than previous methods. This increased productivity eightfold while using less labor.

1913: Ford's Moving Assembly Line

In 1913, Henry Ford began using the world's first moving assembly line for cars at the Highland Park Ford Plant.

1914: Model T Affordability

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

1919: Citroën Enters Car Production

In 1919, Citroën came to cars, expanding car production in France.

1920: Number of American Car Makers

In 1920, there were about two hundred American car makers.

1921: Citroën Adopts Production Line

In 1921, Citroën became the first native European manufacturer to adopt the production line method, revolutionizing car manufacturing in Europe.

1922: Isuzu Builds Wolseley A-9

In 1922, Isuzu partnered with European companies and built the Wolseley A-9 in Japan.

1923: Morris Follows Ford's Practice of Vertical Integration

Beginning in 1923, Morris started to follow Ford's practice of vertical integration, buying various subsidiaries and competitors.

1923: Ford Denmark Founded

In 1923, Ford Denmark was founded, contributing to the continued global expansion of the Ford Motor Company.

1924: Morris Sets Up Production Line

In 1924, Morris set up its production line at Cowley, outselling Ford soon after and beginning vertical integration.

1925: Ford Germany Founded

In 1925, Ford Germany was founded, further extending Ford's global presence in the automotive industry.

1925: Morris' Share of British Car Production

In 1925, Morris had 41 percent of total British car production.

1926: Development of Duco Lacquer

In 1926, fast-drying Duco lacquer was developed to address a paint bottleneck in Ford's production line, which allowed for a wider variety of colors to be used on cars.

1930: Companies Disappearing Due to Lack of Assembly Lines

By 1930, 250 companies that did not have assembly lines disappeared, highlighting the impact of mass production on the automotive industry.

1930: American Car Makers Surviving

In 1930, only 43 American car makers survived.

1940: American Car Makers Surviving the Great Depression

By 1940, due to the Great Depression, only 17 of the original two hundred American car makers were left.

2017: Peak Production of Petrol-Fuelled Cars

In 2017, the production of petrol-fueled cars peaked.

2018: Most Congested Cities in the World

According to INRIX, a data analytics company, in 2018, Moscow, Istanbul, Bogotá, Mexico City and São Paulo were the world's most congested cities.

2019: Cars' Consumption of World Oil Production

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 (1.1 and 3.3 short tons; 0.98 and 2.95 long tons) due to various safety and performance features.

2020: Worldwide Car Manufacturing

In 2020, there were 56 million cars manufactured worldwide, which was down from 67 million the previous year.

July 2021: European Commission's "Fit for 55" Legislation

In July 2021, the European Commission introduced the "Fit for 55" legislation package, which sets out key directives for the automotive sector's future, pushing for greener transportation options.

2022: Cars' Contribution to Energy-Related CO2 Emissions

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

2023: Emissions of Electric Cars

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

2024: Proportion of Electric Cars on the Road

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

January 2025: Global Car Usage Statistics

As of January 2025, approximately 1.644 billion cars are in use globally, consuming vast amounts of fuel and energy, particularly in rapidly growing markets like China and India.

2025: Electric Car Sales

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

2025: Over 1.6 Billion Cars in Use Worldwide

As of 2025, there are over 1.6 billion cars in use worldwide.

2025: Countries Planning to Stop Selling Fossil Cars

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

2035: Zero-Emission Mandate in Europe

By 2035, the "Fit for 55" legislation mandates that all new cars sold in the European market must be zero-emission vehicles, marking a significant shift in automotive regulations.