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The World's First Car Was Powered by a Crank Handle

In 1769, French inventor Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot built the first self-propelled vehicle, a three-wheeled steam-powered contraption that could reach a top speed of 2.5 miles per hour. However, its first prototype was actually powered by a crank handle, not a steam engine, which was later added. This early experiment took place in Paris, and it paved the way for the development of more practical and efficient vehicles.