Kaja Loves...: Car Innovation Chronicle

Every Car Has A Story

As I researched the history of automobile innovations, I thought it would be nice to include the history in the Skycar post. Then it happened, the blog got too long.

The research is in two formats: text based and the graphic based.

Timeline of Car Innovations and the Unfortunate Crisis

1807 - Francois Isaac de Rivaz designed the first internal combustion engine.

1860 - Jean Joseph Etienne Lenoir built the first successful 2-stroke gas driven engine.

1881 - Gustave Trouve demonstrated a working 3-wheeled automobile powered by electricity. (Yes, electric cars have been around awhile.)

1885 - Karl Benz created the first 4-stroke gasoline engine named the Motorwagen.

1886 - Ransom Olds received a patent for a gasoline powered automobile.

1896 - Henry Ford built his first car the Quadricycle.1901 - Ransom Olds patented the production line concept and debuted the large-scale production automobile manufacturing.

1908 - Henry Ford built the Model T.

1914 - Henry Ford perfected the assembly line and revolutionized the automotive industry cranking out a car every 15 minutes. The total time of assembly for a single car fell from 12.5 labor hours to 93 labor minutes.

1966 - US Congress introduces the first bill recommending use of electric vehicles to reduce air pollution.

1972 - Victor Wouk, the "Godfather of the Hybrid," builds the first full-powered, full-size hybrid vehicle out of a 1972 Buick Skylark provided by GM.

1974 - Vanguard-Sebring debuts the CitiCar Electric Vehicle in Washington, D.C. By 1975, the company is the 6th largest automaker in the U.S. but is dissolved only a few years later.

1976 - US Congress passes the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act. The law intended to spur the development of new automotive technologies including: improved batteries, motors, and other hybrid-electric components.

1990s - Emerging interest and primarily the California Air Resources Board (CARB) mandate for production of oil alternative cars. GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Nissan, and Honda created the electric vehicles (EV) in response for lease only. All but Toyota actively campaigned to eliminate EV production.

1997 - Toyota unveils the Prius. The world's first commercially mass-produced and marketed hybrid car.

2000 - GM, Ford, Chrysler, Nissan, and Honda shutdown their EV production plants by 2000. Ironically, Toyota was the only manufacturer committed to EVs and took CARB seriously.

2008 - GM, Ford, and Chrysler became another casualty of the global financial crisis. Many critics blamed the inability of the big 3's executive staff to innovate, eliminate redundant lines, overhaul lackluster models, and significantly improve gas mileage. Some blasted that their arrogance in the face of serious market share depletion since the 1970s was mind boggling. Instead, they continually spent hundreds of millions to fight mandated progress at the federal and state levels.

Nov 08 - GM, Ford, and Chrysler asked Congress for taxpayer bailout bridge loan to stem succumbing to the global financial crisis caused by Wall Street. All three CEOs arrived at Congress via their own company private jet.

Dec 08 - President Bush grants the big 3 $17.4 billion emergency bailout to be paid mid-January 2009 with the condition that each company submit a viable restructure plan by 31 March 2009.

2009 - GM, Ford, and Chrysler worked on their restructure plans first quarter of 2009.

19 Mar 09 - Obama administration announces plans to lend up to $5 billion to struggling U.S. auto parts suppliers.

30 Mar 09 - GM CEO Rick Wagoner resigns as President Barack Obama unveils tougher terms for federal aid to the domestic automakers.

10 Jun 09 - Italy's Fiat owns of Chrysler, thus, saving it from an 11th hour collapse.

mid-May 09 - Toyota launched 3rd generation 2010 Prius hybrid in Japan.

201x - Moller Skycar becomes a reality.

Visual Car History