Locomobile was the first recorded steam-engine automobile produced in North America and the oldest name in American automobile manufacturing. The Locomobile Company was founded in 1899 by John and Edgar Apperson, a pair of bicycle-racing brothers from New York.
The Appersons first vehicle was called the Steam-Runabout, and was an ambitious attempt at producing the worlds first steam-powered automobile. The car was light-weight and small, with a 10-horsepower engine and a two-frictional drivetrain. It was shaped like a horse-drawn carriage, and was painted red so that it would look more like a stagecoach.
The Steam-Runabout was able to reach a top speed of 25 mph, but the actual range and reliability of the vehicle were both limited by the state of the technology at the time.
By 1902, the Appersons tried to improve the design of their steam-engine car, and in 1903, they produced the Locomobile, the first true steam-powered car. The new Locomobile was much more powerful, with a 15-horsepower engine and a three-gear transmission. Its maximum speed increased to 35 mph, and the range of the vehicle increased to 40 miles per charge. In addition, the car boasted an impressive range of features, including electric lights and an odometer.
The Locomobile was a moderate commercial success, and by 1906 the company had sold around 3,500 of the steam-powered cars. In 1906, the Appersons decided to widen their range of automobiles by producing their first gasoline-powered vehicle, a four-cylinder machine called the Great Locomobile. The Great Locomobile went on sale in 1908, and was available in a range of sizes and body styles.
In 1925, the Locomobile Company was taken over by the much larger Auburn Automobile Company, bringing the locomobiles production lifespan to an end. Nevertheless, the large majority of Locomobiles produced still survive today, providing a window into the earliest days of American automobile manufacturing. The Apperson brothers pioneering efforts resulted in a landmark product that served as a trailblazer for the industry, and as an inspiration for generations of young inventors.
