The invention of automobiles marked the birth of lightweight, self-propelled wheeled vehicles that traverse roads.
However, the evolution of cars was a long process, shaped by over a hundred years of continuous improvement and innovation.
It represents the amalgamation of human intellect and craftsmanship, supported by various industries like petroleum, steel, aluminum, chemicals, plastics, machinery, electricity, road networks, electronic technology, and finance. This advancement fostered diverse types and specifications of cars, extensively used across multiple domains in socio-economic life.
Since 1970, the global number of automobiles has nearly doubled every 15 years, reaching a production of 87.38 million vehicles in 2013. The first automobile emerged in 1769, far removed from the gasoline era.
In 1807, the first internal combustion engine using hydrogen as fuel was created, followed by the industrial use of such engines in 1826. In 1833, Eugenio Barsanti and Felice Matteucci established the first engine factory in history. It took another 50 years for the world's first complete internal combustion engine automobile to be officially born.
In 1883, the first engine using petroleum gasoline appeared, and two years later, Daimler manufactured the first four-wheel motorcycle, using petroleum or gasoline as fuel. At that time, there was no clear distinction between automobiles and motorcycles, so this four-wheel motorcycle served as the precursor to what we now know as gasoline-powered cars.
During the early 20th century, automobiles became popular among affluent households in developed areas, with steam cars being the best-selling vehicles globally, followed by electric cars, while gasoline cars ranked third.
Entering the 20th century, technological advancements enabled the stable production of lightweight gasoline through the petroleum industry. In 1911, the Burton process facilitated the decomposition of crude oil, exponentially increasing gasoline production. The production of the Ford Model T began in 1908, marking a new stage in industrialization.
Private car ownership soared, and a nascent taxi industry emerged. Car ownership ceased to be exclusive to the wealthy, as ordinary people could afford decent cars after some work.
Simultaneously, racing gained popularity. Almost every car company produced dedicated racing cars to promote their brand through racing achievements.
Automobile manufacturing processes matured. While most car manufacturers initially only produced chassis, leaving others to produce car bodies, companies like Mercedes and Ford emerged, capable of independently completing car production with complete sales processes.
Post-1950s, cars began focusing on performance, emphasizing quality, especially as chassis technology shifted from trapezoidal frame structures to monocoque frames.
The oil crisis almost devastated the automobile industry, but electronic control technology quietly emerged at this juncture, with the Japanese being the first to grasp it. After saturating the Japanese market, Japanese cars expanded to Europe and the Americas. European nations imposed tariffs to deter Japanese cars, while American cars gradually declined in competition against Japanese counterparts.
Today's gasoline-powered cars indeed face a kind of bleak future. However, countless gasoline car enthusiasts insist on their preference, but the trend toward the era of new energy cannot be stopped by one or two individuals.
Embracing new energy means acknowledging that motor-driven forces generated by electricity will replace internal combustion engines, just as internal combustion engines overtook steam engines in the early 20th century.
To address the energy crisis represented by dwindling petroleum resources, developed nations like Europe, America, and Japan have vigorously supported the development of new types of power cars. These new power cars include electric vehicles, hybrid cars, and fuel cell vehicles, among others.
