1770 Fardier De Cugnot Steam Carraige

The Fardier de Cugnot is generally recognized as the world's first self-propelled vehicle. It was constructed by Nicholas Cugnot for the French army as a device to transport cannons. The original is on display in the Conservatoire National de Arts et Metiers in Paris.

Several years ago, French-born Alain Cerf (Mr. Cerf owns a successful packaging equipment design business in the United States), became intrigued with the Cugnot (as it's known) and decided to build a working replica, based on the original steam carriage and using original drawings that survive.

Mr. Cerf's results speak for themselves. he proved that Cugnot's original design was viable. The high-pressure steam engine runs smoothly; the valve mechanism is easy to adjust. The Cugnot Fardier can be brought to a complete stop, without any external aid. The steering is rack and pinion and requires minimal strength to steer. The original range was 1.25 hours and the speed was 2-3 miles per hour.