Automobiles and Motorcycles
Automobiles are powered by a gasoline engine that produces energy. These engines were first developed several hundred years ago by Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens. This invention allowed the modern automobile to emerge. By the end of the 19th century, a horseless carriage could be driven on wheels. Steam engines were popular, but they were limited in range and difficult to start. By 1900, battery-powered electric vehicles accounted for 38 percent of automobile sales in the United States. However, they were slow to reach higher speeds and charging stations were difficult to find.
The automobile has many definitions. In North America, an automobile can be any vehicle that is self-propelled by a motor. It can be four or eight wheels, and it is used for transportation of both goods and passengers. A motorcycle is also included in this category. The automobile’s use in our society is widespread.
Automobiles have four wheels and can carry many passengers. Motorcycles do not fall under the definition of an automobile, but they are considered a vehicle when they can carry at least one passenger. The term “automobile” is largely used interchangeably, but legal matters can get nit-picky about how to define a motorcycle.
In the United States, the automobile has become the primary mode of transportation for the majority of Americans. There are over 1.4 billion automobiles in the world today, with one-fourth of them produced by foreign manufacturers. In addition, manufacturers are increasingly introducing new designs. As a result, there are 70 million new passenger cars manufactured each year.