Internal Combustion Engine

Internal Combustion Engine

Period: Jan 1, 1800 to Jan 1, 2011

First Internal Combustion Engine (I.C.E)

Jan 1, 1807

Francois Isaac de Rivaz of Switzerland invents an internal combustion engine powered by a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen for fuel.

First Attempt at Moving a Vehicle With an I.C.E.

Mar 2, 1824

An English engineer, Samuel Brown, adapts an old Newcomen steam engine to burn gas. Used it to briefly power a vehicle up Shooter's Hill in London.

Double-acting, Electric Spark-ignition I.C.E

Mar 2, 1858

Belgian engineer, Jean Joseph Étienne Lenoir invented a double-acting, electric spark-ignition internal combustion engine fueled by coal gas.

First I.C.E Road Trip

Mar 2, 1863

Lenoir attachs an improved engine (using petroleum and a primitive carburetor) to a three-wheeled wagon. Managed to complete a historic fifty-mile road trip.

Improvements Upon the I.C.E

Mar 2, 1866

German engineers, Eugen Langen and Nikolaus August Otto, improved on Lenoir's designs and invented a more efficient gas engine.

First Safe &Practical Oil Engine

Mar 2, 1873

George Brayton, an American engineer, developed an unsuccessful kerosene engine (it used two external pumping cylinders). However, it was considered the first safe and practical oil engine.

The "Otto Cycle"

Mar 2, 1876

Nikolaus August Otto invented and later patented a successful four-stroke engine. Called the "Otto cycle".

First Successful Two-Stroke Engine

Apr 2, 1876

The first successful two-stroke engine was invented by Sir Dougald Clerk.

Modern Gas Engine Prototype Created

Mar 2, 1885

Gottlieb Daimler invented the prototype of the modern gas engine. Had a vertical cylinder, with gasoline injected through a carburetor.

First Four Wheeled Motor Vehicle

Mar 2, 1886

Gottlieb Daimler creates the world's first four-wheeled motor vehicle

First 4 cylinder, 4 stroke

Mar 14, 1890

Wilhelm Maybach builds the first four-cylinder, four-stroke engine

First Diesel

Mar 14, 1897

Rudolf Diesel builds the first Diesel Engine. The diesel engine was more efficient then traditional gas and steam engines.

Mercedes is born

Mar 14, 1902

New model DMG automobile is produced and named Mercedes.

More affordable vehicles

Mar 14, 1902

Ransom Olds starts production-line manufacturing of more affordable cars in his Oldsmobile factory.

Automotive assembly line created

Mar 14, 1908

Ford developed the automotive assembly line to produce his Model T.

Model T introduced

Mar 14, 1908

The Model T was the first low-cost mass-produced automobile. Was incredibly popular due to its price and reliability.

I.C.E gains power

Mar 14, 1910

Internal combustion engines achieve dominance over steam powered vehicles.

Ford improves production-line

Mar 14, 1914

Henry Ford expands and improves the Ransom Olds production-line manufacturing. Ford car comes off the line every three minutes.

V8 created

Mar 14, 1914

Cadillac creates the first v8 engine. The v8 was extremely powerful for its time.

V6 created

Mar 14, 1950

Francesco De Virilo inventes the v6 engine. This engine was used to cut down on vibration problems in the Lancia Aureilia but was soon adopted by many other companies.