Steam cars were powered by steam, similar to trains, but were outdated by gasoline-powered cars. They emitted fewer pollutants but were heavy and required constant attention. Early models were capable of high speeds but were inconvenient to refuel and start.
A steam car is a type of car that was powered by steam in the same way as steam engines on trains. The car features a boiler that produces steam, which ultimately leads to the forward thrust of the vehicle. This style of vehicle is very old-fashioned, and most steam car models went out of production before 1920. It was superseded by the gasoline-powered car that used an internal combustion engine. Steam vapors emit far fewer pollutants than internal combustion engines, even though the engine is large, heavy, and needs constant attention during use.
A common misconception about the steam car has been the belief that early models did not produce enough power to be competitive with gasoline engines. A steam powered car was, in fact, quite capable of high speeds and even held land speed records at one point. The technology for steam engines already existed as locomotives were already using the technology, so steam car models became very prevalent before gasoline cars. However, the technology regarding the internal combustion engine advanced rapidly and was easier to use than a steam engine.
The steam wagon was propelled forward using steam power generated by a boiler. This boiler was very heavy and took up most of the space in the engine compartment. The boiler needed to be fed with water at a fairly constant rate, which meant that the water had to be replenished in the steam generating system very frequently. Gasoline vehicles needed to be refueled much less frequently, which meant that the inconvenience of having to refuel the steam car became a rather significant disadvantage. Unlike combustion engines, however, steam engines were very quiet and produced less exhaust, which is why many people preferred this engine over the noisy and dirty combustion engine.
Other drawbacks to steam cars kept customers away, especially after electric starters for gas-powered vehicles were developed. The steam vapors could be conducted quickly, but the heating time was quite extended, as the boiler took a long time to reach operating temperature. People were willing to deal with this inconvenience when gas-powered cars were started with cranks, which could be dangerous and difficult to use. However, when electric starters were developed, combustion engines became easier and safer to start, while steam cars were still difficult to start. The radiators on the steam carriages also needed to be much larger, further increasing the overall weight of the vehicle.
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