In 1769, Frenchman N.J. Gunew made the world's first steam-driven three-wheeled car. The car is named "Caboole", the car is 7.32m long and 2.2m high. A large boiler like a pear is placed on the frame. The front wheel diameter is 1.28 meters and the rear wheel diameter is 1.50 meters. Rely on the front wheel to control the direction. It needs to stop and heat for 15 minutes every 12-15 minutes forward, and the running speed is 3.5-3.9km/h. The second car was built in 1771, and it hasn't really been run. It is now on display at the National Art Museum in Paris, France. Although Gunew’s invention failed, it was a watershed between ancient transportation (powered by people, animals or sails) and modern transportation (powered by machinery), and it was of epoch-making significance.
A steam-driven car developed by Gunew
By 1804, Tweedik had designed and manufactured another steam car, which also carried a 10T cargo on the railway for 15.7km.
A steam bus made by Swady Gane
A steam bus made by Swady Gane
In 1825, the British Swady Gane built a steam bus with 18 seats and a speed of 19km/h, which was the first bus operation in the world.
In 1831, Swatch Güller of the United States put a steam car into transportation, and regular transportation services appeared between Gerst and Cherotenham 15km apart.
Later, steam engines developed into external combustion power sources for railway vehicles and ships. People are looking for portable power devices with high power-to-volume ratio and power-to-weight ratio for automobiles.