History of Steam Powered Motor Cars / Automobiles

2.1 The Stanley Steamer

• At the start of the twentieth century very few steam powered car manufacturers still existed.

• The most important exception was the Stanley Motor Carriage Company in the United States, which started making steam powered cars in 1897. Ref: Part 1, The Early History, Section 3.

• The company continued producing steam powered cars until 1917 (producing 500 cars in that year), when the two Stanley brothers sold their interests to Prescott Warren.

• Production went into a long period of decline and by 1918 no models were being produced with a power output higher than 20 hp.

• Stanley Steamers also became too expensive. In 1924 a Stanley 740D sedan cost nearly $4000, compared to a few hundred dollars for a Model T Ford.

• The last Stanley Steamer was produced in 1926.

• A total of 16,000 were manufactured, of which about 600 still existed in 2003.

2.2 Saab

• In 1974 Saab started to develop a prototype steam powered car.

• It employed a 160 hp steam generator that was about the size of a normal car battey.

• By using compressed air to power the car until sufficient steam pressure was available, the long start-up time associated with the steam car was eliminated. Additional data on this car required.

• Information on other steam powered cars produced since 1907 required.