Ferdinand Verbiest built the first steam-powered vehicle in 1672 as a toy for the Chinese Emperor, making it possibly the first working steam-powered automobile. Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot is widely credited with building the first full-scale, self-propelled mechanical vehicle in 1769, creating a steam-powered tricycle. Cugnot also constructed two steam tractors for the French Army, preserving steam technology's role in automotive history.

1. HOW WAS IT INVENTED…
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2. Ferdinand Verbiest
Ferdinand Verbiest, a member of a Jesuit
mission in China, built the first steam-
powered vehicle around 1672 as a toy for
the Chinese Emperor. It was of small
enough scale that it could not carry a
driver but it was, quite possibly, the first
working steam-powered vehicle ('auto-
mobile')

3. First full-scale
Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot is
widely credited with building
the first full-scale, self-
propelled mechanical
vehicle or automobile in
about 1769; he created a
steam-powered tricycle. He
also constructed two steam
tractors for the French
Army, one of which is
preserved in the French
National Conservatory of

4. Cugnot's steam
wagon, the
second (1771)
version.
The second
Marcus car of
1888 at the
Technical
Museum in
Vienna.

5. 1954 Plymouth
Savoy Station
Wagon, one of the
first U.S. all-metal
station wagons.
1974 Citroën DS