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125 Years Ago, The World's First Truck Made Its Public Debut. This is its Story

Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach were two of the most important figures in the history of the automotive industry. They were responsible for many innovations, including the first motorcycle powered by a gasoline internal combustion engine, but also the first-ever truck, which celebrates 125 years since it was revealed to the public.
Two Iconic Lastwagens 8 photos
Photo: Daimler AG
Modern Actros Alonside a 1896 and a 1897 Lastwagen1897 Daimler Motor-Lastwagen1898 Daimler Motor-Lastwagen1912 Daimler Motor-LastwagenA 1896 and a 1897 LastwagenA 1896 and a 1897 LastwagenPhoenix Engine for the Lastwagen
On 18 August 1896, eleven years after the creation of the first gasoline internal combustion motorcycle, Gottlieb Daimler and his lifelong business partner Wilhelm Maybach introduced the Daimler Motor-Lastwagen, widely recognized as the very first motorized truck in the world.

Sitting on four iron-clad wooden wheels, it looked more like a cart without the drawbar that would normally be attached to oxen, horses, or mules. Instead of relying on animals, this revolutionary vehicle used a rear-mounted two-cylinder four-stroke engine called Phoenix.

Designed by Maybach, Daimler, and his son Paul in the garden room of the former Hermann Hotel in Cannstatt, the unit displaced 1.06 liters and produced 4 hp. It featured four cylinders cast in one block arranged vertically and parallel, camshaft operated exhaust valves, glow-tube ignition, and a spray-nozzle carburetor. Fitted behind the rear axle, the Phoenix drove the rear wheels through a four-speed belt drive.

Phoenix Engine for the Lastwagen
Photo: Daimler AG
It was conceived to run on gasoline but because the refined fuel was not very common back then and had to be bought from a local chemist, the engine could also run on more widely available alternatives such as coal gas and lamp fuel. According to Daimler records, when gasoline was used, the fuel consumption stood around 39 mpg (6 liters per 100 km) and the top speed didn’t exceed 7.4 mph (12 kph).

At the rear, two helical springs helped protect the powerplant, which was sensitive to vibrations. Apart from those, transversely mounted, fully elliptic leaf springs were mounted at the front, improving the vehicle’s ability to navigate the poor roads of the era.

As with horse-drawn carriages, the driver sat up front on a wooden bench and could maneuver the truck using a steering wheel connected to the front axle via a chain drive.

A 1896 and a 1897 Lastwagen
Photo: Daimler AG
A manually operated block brake that locked the rear wheels was used to slow the vehicle down. Additionally, a foot-operated shoe brake provided further stopping power by engaging the countershaft.

Another noteworthy innovation of this iconic machine was the use of a planetary axle, a component that is still widely used today.

The Lastwagen was 14.7 feet (4.5 m) long, 4.9 feet (1.5 m) wide and had a maximum payload of 3,307 lbs (1,500 kg). Although it was a marvel of engineering at the time, local business owners were skeptical about it, so the company had to look overseas for potential buyers.

1897 Daimler Motor\-Lastwagen
Photo: Daimler AG
In October 1896, a modified version was sold to the British Motor Syndicate in London. The engine was moved towards the front, under the driver’s bench, and could produce 6 hp. In the coming months, Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG), the company founded by the two industrialists, was the first vehicle manufacturer in the world to launch a model range of trucks that were available in four different power levels.

In 1897, the engine’s displacement was increased to 2.2 liters, and its output was boosted to 10 hp thanks to a new low-voltage magneto ignition developed by Bosch, and a new radiator designed by Wilhelm Maybach.

Another two years would go by until the Lastwagen finally began to establish itself in the German market. It became the vehicle of choice for several local businesses, including the Bohemian brewery in Berlin.

1912 Daimler Motor\-Lastwagen
Photo: Daimler AG
DMG would start producing trucks on a larger scale starting with 1914 and its main customer would be the German Army. By this time, the vehicles were making 30 hp, featured drum brakes, and sat on rubber tires.

From that point onwards, gasoline-powered trucks became an integral part of the company’s portfolio, helping it survive through both world wars and paving the way for the modern trucks that now come in many sizes and configurations.

To commemorate the Lastwagen’s 125th anniversary, Mercedes-Benz Trucks loaded a replica of the initial 1986 model along with an original 1898 variant into a modern Actros semi which recreated the journey of its ancestor, arriving in London on 18th August.
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About the author: Vlad Radu
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Vlad's first car was custom coach built: an exotic he made out of wood, cardboard and a borrowed steering wheel at the age of five. Combining his previous experience in writing and car dealership years, his articles focus in depth on special cars of past and present times.
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