Why Gasoline? | National Museum of American History

Lighter than an electric car, a gasoline car with sufficient power easily overcame hills and dirt roads. A tank of gasoline lasted 150 to 175 miles, ... Skiptomaincontent AutomobileEnergyChoice Searchthisexhibition WhyMostMotoristsPreferredGasolineCars Power,Speed,andRange Haynesgasolineengine,1914.Carenginesbecamelargerandmorepowerfulfromthe1910stothe1960s.Withhighwayimprovements,speedsincreasedfrom30-40milesperhourto60-70milesperhour. By1905,thevastmajorityofmotoristsownedgasolinecars,whichwerefasterandmorepowerfulthanelectriccarsandcouldtravelmuchfartherbetweenrefuelingstops.Gasolinecarscouldgoplacesfarfromcitiesbecausetheydidnot dependon electricpowergeneratingstations.Formostmotorists,theneedtomoveaboutquicklyandflexiblywithasfewlimitationsaspossiblebecameahighpriority.Onhardlevelroads,aFordModelTcouldtravelatspeedsupto45milesperhour compared with10or15milesperhourinanelectriccar.Lighterthananelectriccar,agasolinecarwithsufficientpowereasilyovercamehillsanddirtroads.Atankofgasolinelasted150to175miles,comparedwith30to40milesperchargeinan electric car. Thespreadofcarsintheearlytwentiethcenturystimulatedtravelandtourism.Motoristsdrovetoplacestraditionallyreachedbytrainandpenetratedareasfarfromrailroadtracks. Manyautocamperscookedfoodoverahotgasolinecarengine,asshownontheJuly1924coverofMotorCamperandTouristmagazine.Commerciallyavailableautocampingaccessoriesmadethispracticepossible. Autocampingwithgasolinecarsbecameaverypopularactivityinthelate1910sand1920s.Beforemotelsexisted,familiessleptincotsandtentsbesidetheroadorincommercialcamps.Withoutthelimitationsofpassengertrainsandrailroad timetables, familiescouldtourattheirownpace.Byavoidingtheformalities,expenses,andcommercialatmosphereofhotels,motoringfamiliesenjoyedamoreintimateexperiencewithnature. PagesfromaphotoscrapbookdepictingafamilyautocampingtripinNorthCarolina,1928. Atrestintheevening,theautomobileitselfbecamethecenteroffamilylife;oftenacotstraddleditsseatbacks,andcookingtookplaceonarunningboard.Autocampersrecreatedtheirhomelifeinroadsidesettings withoutthepressuresanddistractions oftheirrealhomes.Theyhopedthattheisolationandsimplicityofautocampingwoulderasethecares,pressures,anddivisivenessthatmodernlivinghadbroughttothehome.Autocampingsymbolizedtheimportanceofpersonalmobilityto Americans, andtheextendedrangeandeasyrefuelingofgasolinevehiclesmadethisnewactivitypossible.[1] Inthe1910sand1920s,manymotoriststriedautocampingwhileonvacation.WilliamandNoraAndrewsofRockFalls,Wisconsinusedthisfoldingtablein1926duringavacationtriptoYellowstoneNationalParkintheirFordModelT. Inthe1920s,autocampersturnedacarandtentintoahomebesidetheroad.Thissetting,comprisinga1918Oldsmobiletouringcar,foldingautobed,foldingtent,portablecookstove,runningboardfoodcabinet,andfoldingtable,was partof theexhibition“AtHomeontheRoad:Autocamping,Motels,andtheRediscoveryofAmerica”attheNationalMuseumofAmericanHistoryfrom1985to1987. Gasoline:PortableEnergy Viewobject record Gilbert&BarkerGasolinePump,1911 Viewobject record A1911Gilbert&BarkerModelT-6,oneofthefirstpumpsthatcountedgallonsofgasoline.Mechanicalgaugesmadegasolineretailsalesmoreefficient,accurate,andpractical. ThisgasolinetankdipstickhasgallonmarksforaFordModelTsquaretankandovaltank. Afuelgauge,availableonsomecars,maderefuelingmoreaccurateandreliableonsomecars.Thisgauge(left)isonthedashboardofa1934Fordroadster. GasolinePriceSign InthemindsofmostAmericans,gasolinesymbolizedasuccessfulcombinationofportableenergyandpersonalmobility.Gasoline—nottheelectriccarbattery—wasbottledlightningbecauseitpackedthemaximumamountofstoredenergy availablein asmallcontainer.Generalstoresandhardwarestoresoriginallysoldgasolineinmetalcans,butbythe1910s,storesandfillingstationsdispenseditinacontinuousflowfromundergroundtanks.Afill-uptookminutesinsteadofhours needed to chargeanelectriccarbattery. EntertheSelf-starter Compressedairfromthisca.1910Christensenstarterforcedthepistonstomoveinsideagasolineengine. Until1912ahandcrankstartedthegasoline-poweredinternalcombustionengine.Crankingagasolineenginebyhandwasdifficultanddangerous;itrequiredstrength,andenginebackfirecouldbreakthemotorist’sarm.Crankinginthe rain wasanotherunpleasanttask.Onceunderway,astalledenginemeantgettingoutofthecarintrafficandcrankingagain.Compressedairorexplosiveacetylenegasstartedtheenginesonsomemakesofcarsbytheearly1910s,eliminatingthe need for ahandcrank. TheDelcoelectricstarter,introducedin1911,revolutionizeddrivingbyeliminatingthehandcrankongasolineautomobiles.Itworkedmoreeffectivelythanothertypesofstartersonthemarket. Beginningin1912,gasolinecarmanufacturersdealtaseriousblowtoelectriccarsalesbyborrowingoneoftheelectriccar’smostconvenientfeatures:easy,switch-onelectricstarting.Insteadofturningacranktorotatethecrankshaft and initiate thefirst twostrokesofthefour-cycleengine,thestartermotorwouldpullelectricityfromthecarbattery,engagetheflywheelandrotatethecrankshaftuntilengineignitionoccurred. Aftermarketelectricstarterinstalledona1913FordModelT MostFordModelTcarscamewithastartingcrankoperatedbyhand.In1917,HarveyW.Locke,aninventorofcamerapartsinRochester,NewYork,replacedthehandcrankonhis1913ModelTwithacommerciallymade,add-onelectricstarter. The1912CadillacintroducedapracticalelectricstarterinventedbyCharlesKetteringatDaytonEngineeringLaboratoriesCompany(Delco).By1915,allcarsexceptthelow-pricedFordModelTcamewithanelectricstarter.Motoristswho could afford amedium-tohigh-pricedcarenjoyedthebestofbothenergyworlds:thepowerandrangeofagasolinecar,andtheeaseofstartingitwithelectricity.Thiswelcomeconvenienceboostedsalesofgasolinecarsandhelpedtobringaboutthe demise oftheelectriccar.EvenFordModelTenclosedsedansandcoupescamewithanelectricstarterby1919.OtherModelTownerspurchasedaftermarketelectricstartersandinstalledthemonopentouringcarsandrunabouts(theleast expensive Fordcars),replacingthehandcrank. [1]WarrenJamesBelasco,AmericansontheRoad:fromAutocamptoMotel,1910-1945(1979).↩ ‹ElectricCarOwners up WhatGasolineBrought› ConstitutionAvenue,NW Between12thand14thStreets Washington,D.C. Giving Contact Press SmithsonianInstitution TermsofUse Privacy SignupforMonthlyE-newsletter EmailAddress* EmailpoweredbyMailChimp(PrivacyPolicy&TermsofUse) Facebook Twitter YouTube Pinterest Instagram SearchGoogleAppliance Enterthetermsyouwishtosearchfor. SmithsonianWebsite