History's Innovative Autos

  • By Rima Chaddha
  • Posted 04.22.08
  • NOVA

With fuel costs and concerns about the environment rising, consumers and governments are looking for a new kind of automobile. Ironically, some of the technologies that could drive the car of the future have been around for a century. In this slide show, explore nine automotive innovations that arose from the fertile minds of early engineers.

Launch Interactive Printable Version

For a glimpse of how future cars may be powered, start by looking at the past.

This feature originally appeared on the site for the NOVA program Car of the Future.

Credits

Images

(Turbine Car)
© Bettmann/CORBIS
(Nucleon)
© Ford Motor Company
(Stanley Steamer)
© CORBIS
(Air Car One)
Courtesy Air Car Access, www.aircaraccess.com
(1912 Baker Electric Car)
Courtesy the National Automobile Museum, The Harrah Collection, Reno, NV
(Mixte)
© Car Culture/Corbis
(Sunraycer)
© Associated Press
(Model T)
© Bettmann/CORBIS
(Electrovan)
© GM Corp.

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