Benz introduced the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, which was the first internal-combustion-engine-powered automobile. He received the patent for his invention in January 1886, and the world's first automobile was born.
The first car was powered by a single-cylinder, four-stroke engine that produced about 0.75 horsepower. It had a top speed of about 10 miles per hour and could travel about 20 miles on a single gallon of gas.
The Patent-Motorwagen was a two-seater, with the driver sitting in front and the passenger sitting behind. The car had three wheels, with the single front wheel being steerable. The car was also very noisy and uncomfortable to ride in.
Despite its flaws, the Patent-Motorwagen was a major breakthrough in transportation. It was the first of many automobiles that would change the way people travel and live.
