-
2975 BCE
Wheels
Wheels were inventes 5000 years ago in Mesopotamia. They were made from solid wood. Animals pulled carts on wheels. A thousand years later, spokes were added which made the wheels much lighter. -
Steam Tractor
The first vehicle to move by itself was the steam tractor, invented in 1769 by the Frenchman Nicolas Cugnet. The steam tractor worked by pumping pistons up and down to move the wheels. But the tractor was very heavy and unstable. -
Steam Train
The first steam train was built in England in 1804 by Richard Trevithick and travelled at 8 kph (kilometres per hour). In 1829, George Stephenson and his son Robert won a competition to invent the fastest steam train. The Stephensons Rocket could travel at 48 kph. -
Internal Combustion Engine
Transport on the road and rail was further advanced by the invention of the internal comustio engine in 1859. The combustion engine worked by burning fuel inside cylinders and was much smaller and lighter than a steam engine. -
Petrol-Powered Car
In 1885 the German engineer Karl Benz built the first petrol-powered car. -
Diesel Engine Trains
By the 1900s diesel engine trains (named after Rudolf Diesel, another German engineer) were also replacing steam trains. -
Model T Ford
These early hand-built cars were too espensive for ordinary people. But in 1908 Henry Ford started mass-producing cars in his factories. In the first 20 years of production, 15 million Model T Ford cars were sold. -
Magnetic Levitation Trains
Nowadays, cars and trains are often powered by diesel or petrol, but these fuels will run out. High-speed trains, such as the Japanese bullet train or the French TGV, which can travel over 300 kph now ude electricity. Scientists are also experimenting with magnetic levitation trains and fuel cell cars (hydrogen) and solar powered cars. -
Solar Powered Cars
Nowadays, cars and trains are often powered by diesel or petrol, but these fuels will run out. High-speed trains, such as the Japanese bullet train or the French TGV, which can travel over 300 kph now ude electricity. Scientists are also experimenting with magnetic levitation trains and fuel cell cars (hydrogen) and solar powered cars. -
Fuel Cell Cars
Nowadays, cars and trains are often powered by diesel or petrol, but these fuels will run out. High-speed trains, such as the Japanese bullet train or the French TGV, which can travel over 300 kph now ude electricity. Scientists are also experimenting with magnetic levitation trains and fuel cell cars (hydrogen) and solar powered cars.