<P> Steam - powered self - propelled vehicles large enough to transport people and cargo were first devised in the late 18th century . Nicolas - Joseph Cugnot demonstrated his fardier à vapeur ( `` steam dray '' ) , an experimental steam - driven artillery tractor , in 1770 and 1771 . As Cugnot 's design proved to be impractical , his invention was not developed in his native France . The center of innovation shifted to Great Britain . By 1784 , William Murdoch had built a working model of a steam carriage in Redruth and in 1801 Richard Trevithick was running a full - sized vehicle on the roads in Camborne . The first automobile patent in the United States was granted to Oliver Evans in 1789 . </P>
<P> Steam - powered self - propelled vehicles large enough to transport people and cargo were first devised in the late 18th century . Nicolas - Joseph Cugnot demonstrated his fardier à vapeur ( `` steam dray '' ) , an experimental steam - driven artillery tractor , in 1770 and 1771 . As Cugnot 's design proved to be impractical , his invention was not developed in his native France . The center of innovation shifted to Great Britain . By 1784 , William Murdoch had built a working model of a steam carriage in Redruth and in 1801 Richard Trevithick was running a full - sized vehicle on the roads in Camborne . The first automobile patent in the United States was granted to Oliver Evans in 1789 . </P>
when was the first car invented in america
when was the first car invented in america
1789
1789