1902 White Model B

In the early days of automobile production, there were three main power sources to drive the vehicle: gasoline, electricity, and steam. All three had 'pros' and 'cons', with gasoline eventually becoming more popular around 1914. During the late 1890s and early 1900s, it was unclear which would have become the dominant source. Gasoline was smelly, noisy, and difficult to start, though it was the most powerful. Electricity was the popular choice for city driving, especially with doctors and ladies. It was quiet and clean but it had a limited distance that it could travel and replenishing its power took time. Steam was quiet and clean but it had its drawbacks. The vehicles produced a lot of heat, and it took a while to produce steam. This meant that the driver often had to wait 30 minutes or more for the vehicle to be ready to drive.

Water was inserted into a boiler and then heated from either gasoline or kerosene. The steam was then sent to the cylinders causing pressure that drove the pistons. The steam was condensed, changing steam back into a liquid form. The water was then reused.

Rollin White of the White Sewing Machine Company in Cleveland was a strong believer in the future of steam-powered automobiles. He created an engine that was easy to operate and durable. In 1899 he patented his 'semi-flash boiler' which provided safety features that were revolutionary at the time. Boilers were often prone to explosion, but with Rollin's design, these problems were virtually non-existent. Other steamers heated the water in the upper coils but Rollins allowed the water to be heated in the lower coils. This meant that the generator was able to produce steam more quicker and safer.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2008

This car was considered the most advanced American automobile of 1902. It far outperformed other steam and electric cars and was generally preferred for its silence, smoothness and reliability. Two American presidents, Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft, were owners of White steamers. To propel the car, a gasoline-fired steam generator supplies up to 450 PSI of steam at 800 degrees to a 2-cylinder engine delivering 6 horsepower. The steam generator is unique in that the steam runs through a series of spiral coils rather than boiling in a large cylindrical pot, which makes it very quick to get steam up. It is built exactly as a horse-drawn carriage would have been in 1902 with a strong lightweight body of hickory and maple. Only ten complete Model B Stanhopes remain and only two or three can be driven. This car has been in many famous collections over the years including those of Lindley Bothwell and D. Cameron Peck.