1900 De Dion Tricycle

The De Dion-Bouton Company was founded in 1883 the Marquis Jules-Albert de Dion, Georges Bouton, and Bouton's brother-in-law Charles Trépardoux, and from 1897 through 1901, they were the world's largest automobile manufacturer. By 1883, they operated out of facilities in the Passage de Léon, Paris. Early automobiles were steam-powered, with products that included tricycles, tractors, and buses. The company would use this form of power through 1904. They began switching to internal combustion engines in 1894, a decision unfavored by Trépardoux who preferred steam, and in protest, he resigned.

De Dion-Bouton produced motorized tricycles from 1897 through 1905. A steam-powered tricycle was built as early as 1887 and a four-stroke powered example by 1895. The single-cylinder engine displaced 138cc through a bore of 50mm and a stroke of 70mm. Fitted with a single carburetor, this internal combustion engine delivered approximately 0.5 horsepower at an astonishing engine speed of 1,500 RPM. Engines of this era typically operated at around 250 to 750 revolutions per minute (RPM); operating at approximately double the revolutions of most engines of the time gave credence to the durability and quality of construction of the DeDion engine. This rate of speed was attributed to a high-voltage ignition system with a circuit breaker replacing the glowplug ignition. The side valves were driven via a gear-driven camshaft, and the cylinder head was removable, attached via four bolts on the crankcase. Power was sent to the wheels via a direct transmission with a chain drive system. The frame rode on Michelin pneumatic tries, had a track width of 92 cm (36.2 inches), and stopping power was by a front clasp brake and a rear band brake.

When the tricycle entered production in 1897, engine displacement had grown to 211cc and engine output was 1.5 horsepower at 1,800 RPM. When production ceased in 1904, engine displacement measured 955cc through a bore of 100mm and a stroke of 120mm, and output was eight horsepower at 1,800 RPM.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2022