A hundred years ago, car companies were not touting luxury interiors, Bluetooth connectivity or Apple CarPlay. Consumers were more concerned with the most efficient and productive way to start their vehicles. There were no car keys, and especially no keyless entry option. Cars in the early 1900s were powered by steam, gas or electricity.
Steam
Imagine having to grab a blowtorch to spark igniter fuel under the hood before you could start your car. This took about 45 minutes because the water in the tank needed to heat up so steam could power the engine.
Gas
To start a gas car 100 years ago, the driver had to turn a crank in the front. Unfortunately, this is not as simple as it sounds because it took a lot of elbow grease to get it going.
Electric
Keep in mind that not every household had the electricity available to charge a car 100 years ago. Electrically powered vehicles could also only drive for about 30 miles. That was a lot in the early part of the century, but today, that is longer than the average person’s commute to work.
History tells us gas was the most desired option, until better technology came along, morphing these old memories into the vehicles we see today.
If you have any questions, visit Buena Park Honda. We service Buena Park and Orange County, California.
