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What the ancestor of trucks looked like 130 years ago, and someone wants to bring it back to life
Imagine the streets of Germany in 1896, where horse-drawn carriages creaked along dusty roads and the neighing of mules and horses was the city's main soundtrack. Suddenly, a strange-looking 'iron creature' roared by, powered by a small 4-horsepower engine yet capable of carrying 1,500 kilograms of cargo, reaching a top speed of 12 km/h — this was the world’s first truck, created by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach!
This Daimler Motor Truck not only kicked off the history of trucks but also planted the very first seed for modern logistics. Now, 129 years later, this "ancestor" of the truck world is about to make a comeback in the 2025 rally through a carefully restored replica. How can that not get your blood pumping?
▎From a Crazy Idea to Reality
Let's turn back the clock to 1896. At that time, the automobile industry was still in its infancy, the internal combustion engine was an entirely new invention, and most people even thought it was less reliable than horses.
But Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach thought differently. These two engineering geniuses tinkered at Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG, one of the predecessors of Daimler-Benz) to create a truck equipped with a 1.06-liter two-cylinder four-stroke engine (producing 4 horsepower). The engine was placed at the rear, driving the rear wheels through a four-speed belt transmission, and the truck featured a turntable steering system and a manual brake.
The truck was 4.5 meters long, 1.5 meters wide, could carry 1,500 kilograms, and had a top speed of 12 km/h, not even as fast as a leisurely bicycle ride. As for its price at the time? 5,200 marks.
However, the British Motor Syndicate in London was brave enough to buy the first one (order number 81). Later, Daimler also released an upgraded version, increasing the engine capacity to 1.53 liters and power to 6 horsepower, and relocating the engine under the driver’s seat to optimize the center of gravity. Eventually, they could offer trucks with different power levels (2.9 kW to 7.4 kW, carrying 1.2 tons to 5 tons), making it the “pioneer” of trucks.
▎Breweries were the original fans of trucks
By January 1899, Daimler's records showed the delivery of "ten cargo trucks and thirteen beer transport vehicles." Among them, Paul von Moll's freight agency in Stuttgart and the Bohemian Brewery in Berlin became their earliest “fans.” Especially the beer brewery, which named this “iron fellow” the “beer transport vehicle” and used it to carry heavy barrels of beer.
The success of this truck lies not only in its technological breakthroughs but also in its profound impact on commerce. It made people realize for the first time that freight transport could move beyond reliance on animals and enter a new era of mechanization. From beer to building materials, from cities to rural areas, Daimler's trucks opened a new door for the logistics industry.
▎A Legend That Never Lived
Unfortunately, the original 1896 truck did not survive. The relentless passage of time left this industrial treasure only in historical records and old photographs. It wasn't until 1990 that Daimler built a replica, attempting to recreate the grandeur of this 'ancestor.' However, time was equally unforgiving to this replica; after enduring a century of wind and rain, it too became a 'museum exhibit,' unable to take to the road.
But the story does not end here. Daimler Truck decided to breathe new life into this 'veteran.' They handed the replica over to the German vocational school Philipp-Matthäus-Hahn-Schule, which trains vehicle restoration specialists and took on this challenging task. From now until the end of summer 2025, the school's teachers and students will carry out a full refurbishment of the replica entirely by hand. Every screw, every belt, will be restored as faithfully as possible to the design and technical solutions from 129 years ago.
This move is to celebrate the truck's upcoming 130th anniversary in 2026. On September 19th this year, the Spitzkraut Classics Historic Car Rally will serve as the 'comeback' stage for this truck replica. At that time, it will appear driving independently, showcasing to the world an industrial marvel from 129 years ago—a true romantic ode in the history of the automotive industry!
▎Conclusion:
Sometimes, we might feel that such historical recreations have little to do with the present, as modern truck enthusiasts are more concerned about fuel consumption, market trends, and so on. But the value of history lies in its ability to make you understand that today's conveniences are not taken for granted—they are the results of over a century of iterations made by countless engineers, drivers, and entrepreneurs. When that 'reborn' first truck slowly drives into a vintage car rally in Germany, what you see is not merely the revival of a machine, but a condensed history of 130 years of the trucking industry.
Focus on the research and development of automotive brake systems and pneumatic brake valves to promote the development of the auto parts industry!
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