The First Car Was Insanely Simple - Apparently.
In 1769, French inventor Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot built the first self-propelled vehicle, a steam-powered three-wheeler called the "Fardier à vapeur." Cugnot's creation was a far cry from modern cars, with a top speed of just 2.25 mph (3.62 km/h) and a maximum range of about 15 miles (24 km). Despite its limitations, the Fardier à vapeur marked the beginning of the automotive era and paved the way for the development of more advanced vehicles in the centuries to come.