Empire Rise: Spain

Chapter 166: The Prototype Of The Automobile

The economic crisis that erupted in 1873 was absolutely the longest-lasting economic crisis in human economic history.

But in reality, this economic crisis was divided into two stages. The first stage was from 1873 to 1874, and the main affected countries were the United States and Germany, which were the two great powers that rapidly rose during the Second Industrial Revolution.

The second stage was from 1876 to 1878, and the main affected country was the United Kingdom.

From this point, it can also be seen that countries that had developed rapidly in recent times were more severely affected in the early stages of the economic crisis. The impact on established powers like Britain and France was not severe, or rather, the real economic crisis had not yet arrived.

And precisely because of this, by the second half of 1874, the economies of European countries had recovered. Although many enterprises still faced the risk of bankruptcy, at least some important factories had entered production, and social order had been stabilized.

Spain’s industry department was somewhat disappointed. As the economies of various countries gradually recovered, it became less easy to purchase those enterprises at low prices.

Fortunately, more than half of the planned purchase funds of 300 million pesetas for Spain had already been spent, and the more important factories had long been acquired, with even their production line equipment being completely dismantled and transported to Spain.

“How are the already purchased factories being handled?” Carlo turned his gaze to Minister of Industry Cánovas, who stood respectfully, and asked the question that concerned him most.

Purchasing these factories was only the first step; absorbing all the production equipment and skilled workers from these factories was the second step for the industry department.

“Currently, the production equipment of most enterprises has been dismantled, the first batch has been shipped domestically, and the second batch is also on its way. However, some of the workers in these factories are unwilling to come to Spain, even though we have offered more favorable terms,” Minister of Industry Cánovas reported.

Although Spain’s talent attraction work was progressing vigorously, in reality, many Europeans were still unwilling to immigrate to Spain.

Even if they were desperate and wanted to immigrate, most people would choose the United States, with its vaster land and more opportunities.

It had not been long since the chaos in Spain ended, and Europeans were still somewhat apprehensive about the chaos in Spain. After all, most people preferred to live in a peaceful and stable environment rather than in chaotic regions where parades and rebellions could erupt at any time.

“If they are unwilling to come, then so be it. They wouldn’t accept Spain even if they did come,” Carlo was indifferent to these workers unwilling to immigrate to Spain, because even if they came to Spain, they would not accept Spain:

“For those who are willing to come to Spain, we can provide them with more assistance to help them integrate into the Spanish environment more quickly.

Additionally, the industry department can collaborate with the church to organize Spanish language classes, helping immigrants to Spain to quickly master the Spanish language.”

The church had considerable experience in spreading religion and language, and they had a lot of experience in language schools, which could be utilized.

Although a lot of land was acquired from the church before, in Carlo’s mind, the Spanish church was not his enemy.

If the church could be controlled, the power of religion could provide Carlo with a lot of help and serve as a potent weapon in Carlo’s hands.

Although the influence of religion in secular affairs was constantly declining, this did not mean that religion was unpopular throughout the world.

Even in later generations, a large number of people still believed in religion and the existence of God.

If the Catholic Church in Spain could be firmly controlled, through the spread of Catholic doctrines, Carlo could possess a new public opinion weapon distinct from newspapers.

And Spain was a Catholic country, so the Catholic Church could easily influence a large number of Spanish Catholic believers.

Currently, Archbishop Pedro seemed very intelligent. Carlo had created the title of Archbishop of Spain specifically for him, and he had gladly accepted it, becoming the first Archbishop of Spain.

“I understand, Your Majesty,” Minister Cánovas nodded, indicating that he understood.

“The industry department should proceed with the final procurement. If there are no unexpected events, I fear we may not have many more opportunities for our purchasing activities.

Also, try to transfer the purchased enterprises to the country. As other countries’ economies gradually recover, it will become very difficult to transfer these enterprises.

As long as all these enterprises can be absorbed and utilized, I am optimistic that the industry department can complete the requirements of the Five-Year Development Plan ahead of schedule,” Carlo said with a smile.

Because of this economic crisis, the tasks of the industry department were actually relatively easy. Under the premise of spending a large amount of materials to purchase foreign enterprises, the requirements of the Five-Year Development Plan could be rapidly completed by absorbing these foreign enterprises.

This was because the requirements of the Five-Year Development Plan were to increase the scale of various industrial sectors and strengthen Spain’s industrial capabilities, and so on.

It was not an exaggeration to say that as long as all the purchased enterprises were transferred to Spain and their production capabilities were restored, the Spanish industry department would have almost completed the requirements of this Five-Year Plan.

Although the industry department only spent a budget of 300 million pesetas to purchase these enterprises, the actual value of these factories and enterprises was at least several times that amount.

The production scale of these factories and enterprises alone was almost comparable to Spain’s original industrial scale. If the industry department could successfully absorb these enterprises, it would not be difficult for it to become the most dazzling department in this Five-Year Plan.

Minister Cánovas nodded again. He did not believe that the industry department’s work being so easy was due to his own merit.

The work of the industry department had already been defined in the previous cabinet government. Carlo’s promotion of Minister Cánovas to Minister of Industry in the second cabinet government was essentially to allow him to accumulate merit.

As long as the industry department could proceed steadily and complete the original plan, it would not be difficult to become the first department to successfully complete the Five-Year Development Plan objectives.

This would also serve as Cánovas’s own merit, giving him more capital to pursue a higher position during the next cabinet reshuffle.

On August 28, 1874, in the engine research area on the outskirts of Madrid.

This was a small experimental zone built by Carlo for engine research and the Electric Research Institute. After several years of development, it had now become a medium to large experimental area.

In addition to engine and electricity research, several other project R&D teams had been added here, and the experimental buildings constructed were getting taller and larger.

This area represented the culmination of Carlo’s efforts over the past few years. It was no exaggeration to say that if any problem occurred in this experimental zone, a large portion of Carlo’s efforts over the past few years would be in vain.

Because of this, the security force of the experimental zone was second only to the Royal Palace, with over a hundred patrol personnel on the surface and many hidden sentries for protection.

Moreover, several kilometers away from the experimental zone was the garrison of the Royal Guard division. Such defensive strength could ensure the safety of the experimental zone under any circumstances. Unless it faced a large-scale war at the national level, no one could break through the defense line protected by multiple layers of security.

Early this morning, Carlo, accompanied by Queen Sophie, arrived at the experimental zone.

The purpose of visiting the experimental zone was very simple: to see the rudimentary automobile built after numerous experiments.

Yes, an automobile. Although it was modified from a carriage, it was equipped with the latest four-stroke gas engine, so it was not wrong to call it an automobile.

Upon first seeing such a rudimentary automobile, Carlo was momentarily at a loss for words. Calling it an automobile was a bit of a stretch, as it looked more like a hybrid assembled from an engine, a carriage body, and a simple control system.

However, in terms of principle, it was indeed an automobile, if one disregarded its appearance.

“Mr. Benz, could you introduce this big fellow?” Carlo, with a smile, turned his gaze to Benz, the primary developer of this impressive machine and later the renowned father of the automobile.

“Your Majesty, Your Highness the Queen. This is the finished product we have manufactured after multiple experiments, and it can also be called the first-generation automobile.

Our four-stroke engine has undergone numerous experiments and can currently ensure that there will be no major issues within 200 kilometers.

The carriage equipped with the four-stroke gas engine can reach a speed of about 20 kilometers per hour and can travel continuously for over 200 kilometers.

The carriage body has been modified by us and can accommodate a maximum of 3 passengers or 350kg of luggage.

The finished product you see has undergone our experiments, its safety can be guaranteed, and it is completely safe to drive,” Benz said with a smile, introducing his creation with great pride.

The speed of 20 kilometers per hour was not fast; it was even considered a normal level for ordinary horses. Compared to trained warhorses or other horses specifically used for transport, this speed could only be described as far inferior.

However, the issue was that this was with a large carriage body attached. Attaching a carriage behind a horse would significantly reduce its speed.

Even with several horses pulling a carriage, the speed would not be much faster. After all, it was not a simple matter of addition to increase speed; the fastest speed for a horse-drawn carriage was only 30 kilometers per hour, and some were as slow as a dozen kilometers per hour.

This also took into account factors such as road conditions, weather, and the horse’s own condition. Although this rudimentary automobile had a similar speed to a horse-drawn carriage, a normal horse-drawn carriage could not cover much distance in a day, as horses were living beings and needed rest.

Unless the horses pulling the carriage were replaced with fresh ones when they became tired, it would be considered quite good if a horse-drawn carriage could travel a hundred kilometers in a day.

But for mechanical carriages, or rather automobiles, equipped with four-stroke engines, the situation was completely different. Although the speed was only 20 kilometers per hour, such mechanical carriages could travel until the fuel ran out or they stopped due to a problem.

And Benz, Maybach, and several others, after multiple experiments, have already determined that the current four-stroke gas engine has no issues with continuous operation for ten hours or continuous travel within 200 kilometers.

From such data, it can be seen that the role of existing mechanical carriages, that is, automobiles, has already been demonstrated. With the improvement of engine thermal efficiency and engine stability, the role of automobiles will be far greater than that of carriages, and they may even replace carriages.

The ultimate dream for Benz and other workers in this field was to have cars they produced completely replace carriages and flood the transportation market.

Hearing that the stability and safety of the car in front of him were guaranteed, Carlo turned his gaze to Queen Sophie beside him and said with a smile, “Sophie, how about we take a ride in this mechanical carriage together?”

“I’d be happy to, Carlo.” Sophie nodded with a smile and extended her hand.

Carlo first helped Queen Sophie into the carriage compartment, and then he himself jumped up.

“Mr. Benz, what are you still waiting for? Since you built this big fellow, you’ll be the one to pilot it for me,” Carlo said, looking at Benz, who was clearly stunned, and smilingly instructed him.

Benz hesitated somewhat, but seeing Carlo’s unquestionable demeanor, he could only nod and personally took the driver’s seat in front of the carriage.

Although it was a relatively simple car, its layout was largely the same as cars in later generations.

70 The engine and driver’s seat are located at the front, and the driver’s seat is connected to a modified carriage compartment. This is not an ordinary carriage compartment, but a modified, large, luxurious compartment.

71 The carriage has three luxurious large sofas, sinking into them makes them feel soft and comfortable.

Both sides of the carriage were designed with windows, allowing observation of the scenery on both sides. After getting into the carriage, Queen Sophie pulled open the curtains and watched the changes outside the carriage.

Rumble!

With a roar of the engine, blue-gray smoke drifted into the sky, and the engine was officially ignited.

“Your Majesty, the initial startup might be a bit bumpy. Please hold onto the armrests, Your Majesty and Your Highness, and it will stabilize in a moment.” After starting the engine, Benz turned his head to explain briefly to Carlo before awaiting Carlo’s command.

“I understand, Mr. Benz. Start it up, I want to see what makes this mechanical carriage different from ordinary ones,” Carlo said with a smile, nodding. He then took Queen Sophie’s hand and placed it on the armrest.

The King and Queen of this country were sitting in the carriage, so Benz naturally did not dare to be negligent. If the bumpy ride caused Carlo’s dissatisfaction, the research and development plans for the engine and automobile might end here.

Under Benz’s cautious control, the carriage started without much bumpiness. Of course, the carriage’s speed was also very slow, estimated to be less than ten kilometers per hour.

“Mr. Benz, let me see the speed of the carriage. I don’t want such a large vehicle to only be able to travel this slowly. What’s the difference between that and an ordinary carriage?” Carlo also noticed Benz’s caution and smiled, putting his mind at ease.

Carlo understood the role and influence of automobiles better than anyone, and even if an accident happened midway, Carlo would not abandon the research and development of automobiles.

Benz’s worries were completely unnecessary. If Carlo did not value engine and automobile research and development, he wouldn’t have invited them from Germany and specifically built a separate experimental area for them.

Upon hearing Carlo’s request, even though Benz was unwilling, he could only step on the accelerator and increase the carriage’s speed.

The scenery outside the window flashed by rapidly, and the carriage was clearly much faster than before. Although Carlo didn’t know the exact speed, he estimated it was around 20 kilometers per hour.

In other words, this carriage has reached its estimated maximum speed. This also proves Benz’s trust in the carriage he built. After all, it was the King and Queen who were riding in it; if the safety level wasn’t high, wouldn’t that be causing trouble for himself?

Behind the Engine Laboratory is a wide road, for the purpose of conducting related automobile experiments.

Each individual small experimental zone within the experimental area has its own defensive strength, which also ensures that the experimental personnel within it will not know the news of other experimental zones.

The distance between each small experimental zone is as close as a few hundred meters, and as far as over a kilometer. It is impossible to see what things are inside the experimental zone with the naked eye.

Such regulations also greatly ensured the independence and confidentiality of various projects in the experimental zone, so that a large-scale leak would not occur due to an accident.

Of course, the experimental personnel who can enter the laboratory have all been investigated and are basically trustworthy. For some more important experimental personnel, the Royal Security Intelligence Bureau will also conduct long-term supervision to ensure the confidentiality of experimental content.

The families of these experimenters were also in Spain, so they could be relied upon in terms of confidentiality. Even if Carlo arrived at the engine’s experimental area in a big way, as long as it wasn’t publicized, other parts of the experimental area would not know.

“Sophie, how are you feeling?” Carlo looked at Queen Sophie and asked with a smile.

“Very good, apart from the engine noise, I think this carriage has its own advantages compared to a normal carriage.” Queen Sophie nodded and gave her opinion.

The noise of the engine is an unavoidable problem, let alone the more rudimentary engines of this era. However, considering that horses also make noise when they run, and even have the trouble of excrement, these mechanical carriages are actually acceptable.

“After all, it’s the first generation of cars, and it’s already quite good to achieve this. I am optimistic about the future of cars, and perhaps at some point in the future, they will replace carriages and become a common means of transport for people,” Carlo said with a smile.

Even the simplest cars can now compare to carriages in their function. If cars are given several decades more for development, completely replacing carriages will not be a guess, but a very likely reality.

In the end, it all comes down to the power source for carriages; horses are too limited. After all, they are animals and will experience birth, aging, sickness, and death, along with a series of problems.

97 Even the warhorses of the army, having undergone strict training, could not endure prolonged combat. Let alone ordinary horses used only for transportation; they encountered frequent problems when working.

98 Even if several horses pulled a carriage, as long as they were pulling something heavy, transportation would be greatly restricted.

99 The changes in weather and temperature, as well as road conditions, also affect the transportation of carriages, and to some extent, the development of the economy.

Although cars have their problems, the issues are generally concentrated in the engine, the so-called stability problem.

As long as the engine’s stability is resolved, cars can transport to their heart’s content with enough fuel, running as long as they want and as far as they want.

This is something that horses and carriages fundamentally cannot do, and this is the reason why automobiles can replace carriages.

Hearing this, Queen Sophie nodded, also agreeing with Carlo’s words.

After all, the problems with horses and carriages are obvious, and such problems cannot be solved at all. Although horses can be trained, they are ultimately normal animals, and their speed and endurance have upper limits.

A thousand-mile horse may exist, but not every horse can become a thousand-mile horse. And horses and carriages are common means of transport; it’s not enough for only a small portion of horses to possess greater speed and endurance.

Although cars have issues, cars are machinery, and theoretically possess greater potential.

The idea of cars replacing carriages might seem like speculation now, but it may not be impossible to achieve in the coming decades; in fact, there’s a high probability it will be realized.

Carlo and Queen Sophie’s discussion about Benz was not heard by him; otherwise, perhaps he would have had more confidence in the engines and cars he researched.

After casually driving around for a bit, Benz drove the car back to its original location. After alighting, Carlo and Queen Sophie had a more fitting evaluation of this behemoth before them.

110 “Very good, Mr. Benz.” Carlo first affirmed that the engine research was everyone’s effort and affirmed the role of such cars, then gave his opinion: “

However, I believe that the structure of cars can still be designed with further innovations, as this is ultimately something intended for commercial use.

Also, I suggest that you thoroughly separate the uses of carrying people and carrying goods, and develop different types of automobiles.

Passenger cars can pursue higher comfort, more attractive exteriors, and safety. Cargo trucks can pursue higher load capacity and more stable driving speeds.

“Different types of cars satisfy the needs of different people. I am optimistic that your car research and development can bring about change in the human world. This may become a means of transport on par with trains, thereby changing our world.”

Carlo’s evaluation is still very high, after all, trains have become the most important means of transport in the human world. The construction of railways is the primary choice for colonization by various countries, as railways are necessary to transport mined minerals and harvested crops.

Benz and Daimler, Maybach, and others exchanged glances, seeing the excitement and disbelief in each other’s eyes.

Unbelievably, Carlo gave their research and development extremely high praise. Those who were excited were naturally those who received Carlo’s affirmation. Their subsequent research and development will be smoother, and there will be no need to worry about any issues regarding funds.

“But there’s one more thing.” Carlo looked at the excited group and continued to offer his opinion: “Since it has been proven that carriages equipped with engines have greater utility, the research and development of both engines and automobiles cannot stop.

Therefore, I have decided to establish an additional automobile company for research and development in the automotive field, separate from the Engine Laboratory. You are free to choose whether to remain at the Engine Laboratory or take a position at the automobile company.

“But both the Engine Research Office and the Automobile Company are very important. No matter where you work, you need to put in 100% of your energy into your own research.”

Since the initial automobiles have been born, the research and development of engines and automobiles must naturally be separated.

The research and development of engines are very important because engines can not only be used in the automotive field but also in the military weapons fields such as tanks and airplanes, as well as some civilian machinery fields.

Cars are also very important. Cars are very important transport tools, with great future development prospects and a large potential market.

Although facing separation, Carlo will not abandon either of them. The future development of Spanish engines and automobiles is to be vigorously pursued. These two research efforts complement each other and are both very important to Spain.

Benz and the other two exchanged glances. Although they had expected this, they still felt some reluctance.

In the end, it was the elder Daimler who smiled and eased their reluctance: “Alright, it’s not like we won’t see each other anymore just because we’re responsible for different projects. The research and development of engines and automobiles are inseparable.

Whether we are engaged in engine research and development or automobile research and development, we are all fulfilling our original dream, aren’t we?

Maybach, among us, you have more talent in design. How about you take charge of the research and development of automobiles?

Your Majesty also mentioned that the appearance of cars in the future is also very important, and the layout of the car’s structure needs to be carefully considered.

I don’t have much talent in this area, so I’ll continue to be responsible for engine research and development. As for Benz, it would be a waste of his talent to have him only responsible for engine research and development, and I’m reluctant to send him to Maybach’s side.

How about this: you can be responsible for both engine research and development and automobile research and development. This will allow you to fully utilize your abilities.”

Daimler’s division of roles among the three was quite fair. In fact, overall, Benz, Daimler, and Maybach could all handle both engine and automobile research and development. However, there are always strengths and weaknesses, and Maybach is more skilled in areas related to creativity.

Daimler’s research into the four-stroke engine was deeper, so it was fine for him to be responsible for engine research and development.

Benz, on the other hand, was the truly well-rounded talent. His engine research and development capabilities were no less than Daimler’s, and the first car was also Benz’s idea.

Having Benz be responsible for a single area of research would be a waste of his comprehensive abilities. It would be better to have him responsible for both types of research, which would not only fully utilize Benz’s abilities but also effectively advance the research progress of both engines and automobiles.

Benz did not dare to make a decision himself and looked towards Carlo.

Carlo nodded with a smile, having no objection to such an arrangement: “Mr. Daimler’s words are very reasonable. Let’s arrange it this way. Mr. Daimler will be responsible for engine research and development, Mr. Maybach will be responsible for automobile research and development, and Mr. Benz will work on both sides, contributing to both engine and automobile development.

Since your research and development projects have changed, your positions naturally need to be adjusted accordingly. Mr. Daimler will serve as the Chief Engineer of the Engine Company, fully responsible for engine research and development.

Mr. Maybach will serve as the Chief Engineer of the United Automobile Company, responsible for automobile research and development.

As for Mr. Benz, you will serve as a research and development consultant for both companies, which is a rather demanding position.

The shareholdings will also be adjusted accordingly. The Engine Company will give each of you 3% of the shares, and the Automobile Company will give each of you 2% of the shares.

Do you have any objections to these arrangements?”

Carlo’s arrangements were very fair, and none of them had any objections to their positions. As for the shares, they were actually converted from the original 5% shares in the Engine Company to 3% in the Engine Company and 2% in the Automobile Company.

Both the Engine Company and the Automobile Company are very important, with great future development prospects. It is unclear whether these shareholdings are a loss or a gain compared to before, but they represent a significant amount of property.

These shares were given to them by Carlo for free, so Benz and the other two naturally had no objections.

Although they had put in a great deal of effort in engine and automobile research and development, Carlo was the investor.

In just a few years, the funds Carlo had invested in engine and automobile research and development had reached millions of Pesetas.

Benz and the other two could not have afforded this amount of funds. This also means that without Carlo’s investment, the engine research and development and the development of automobiles would not have achieved their current results.

The millions of Pesetas that Carlo had already invested were enough to make Benz and the other two have no objections.

Although these shares may not seem like much, their future value is immeasurable. At the low end, they could be worth hundreds of thousands of Pesetas, and at the high end, they could be worth millions or even tens of millions.

“Regardless of how your positions change, you all have merit in the birth of this great creation,” Carlo said with a smile.

Since the car has been developed, the promised rewards for merit should naturally be given. Carlo had not been stingy in this regard at all. This time, the total amount of checks prepared for the Engine Research Office exceeded 300,000 Pesetas.

Although the Engine Research Office had expanded significantly in both scale and personnel since its establishment, the total number of research and development personnel currently in the office was just over 100.

Many of them were assistants. Only about 20-odd research and development personnel had contributed greatly to the engine research and development process, or had made significant contributions.

Benz and the other two, as the absolute main forces, received the largest rewards, each receiving a check for 50,000 Pesetas.

The value of 50,000 Pesetas was approximately 1,921 Pounds Sterling. Even for a relatively high-earning senior engineer, the annual income did not reach this level.

Benz and the other two had families to support, so they were very eager for these rewards. Unlike intangible stocks, this reward was something they could actually obtain; it was real money.

Benz and the other two took away 150,000 Pesetas, and the remaining 100-odd research and development personnel shared the other half.

Those 20-odd research and development personnel with significant contributions received relatively more rewards, ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 Pesetas.

Even the most ordinary research and development personnel with no significant contributions received rewards close to one thousand Pesetas.

These high rewards for the research and development personnel were something Carlo had planned for long ago. In Carlo’s view, the groups most qualified to receive high incomes were naturally these scientists and research and development personnel who had made great contributions to the country.

The changes these studies brought to Spain were immense, and Carlo was very generous in rewarding the researchers.

In addition to these scientists and researchers, other groups who have made tangible contributions to the country, such as soldiers, teachers, doctors, and so on, are naturally also qualified to increase their income.

On the other hand, Carlo did not want those in the entertainment industry to have excessively high incomes that were impossible to control.

It is only now that the entertainment industry has not developed so prosperously, and television and film have not yet been invented. Once these things are invented, Carlo will enact relevant laws to restrict the wages and benefits of related industry practitioners.

These people are certainly qualified to earn high incomes, but if their incomes are too high, it will cause them to lose respect for earning income through labor.

In addition to checks as rewards, these scientific researchers also enjoy policies such as tax reductions and rent reductions.

Emphasizing scientists and researchers is the main tone Carlo has set for Spain, and it is a regulation that Spain will abide by in the future.

Revitalizing the country through science and education is not just talk. For Spain to truly become powerful, it is very necessary to attach importance to scientific research and education.

This is also why Carlo is vigorously developing the Royal Academy of Sciences. When the research of the Royal Academy of Sciences yields results, and the academicians receive nobility titles as rewards for their research achievements, Spaniards will understand that changing their own and their families’ futures is not only through awards for military merit but also through awards for scientific research.

When the professions that Spanish youth aspire to grow up to be include scientists, soldiers, doctors, teachers, and other industries useful to the country, it will prove that Carlo’s policy of valuing scientific research has achieved good results.

After all the rewards for these research and development personnel were distributed, Carlo’s main objective for visiting the engine experiment zone was largely completed.

The development of automobiles is currently progressing rapidly. At least the existing automobiles have a certain utility. As long as the problem of engine stability can be solved and the practicality of automobiles can be improved, they can be ready for market introduction.

In historical accounts, practical automobiles similar to those that existed before the birth of the Model T actually existed much earlier, but the reason they did not truly go global and commercialized was actually because automobiles were manufactured one by one at that time.

What does this mean? It means that the automobile production team would produce one car at a time, and only after one car was completed would they begin the production of the next one.

This method not only reduced the speed of automobile production but also reduced the fit between different automobile parts.

If problems arose with the car later, it would be difficult to repair by replacing parts. After all, if the production of the same parts was spaced far apart in time, or even produced by different people, there would inevitably be more or less differences.

The slow speed of automobile production, the trouble with repairs, and other reasons, combined with the poor stability of cars resulting from manual production, severely limited the widespread adoption of automobiles.

What truly led automobiles to global adoption and full commercialization was not the birth of the Model T, but the assembly line production created by the Ford Motor Company.

Assembly line production is actually a very simple principle. The production of an entire car is divided into different parts, with each workshop responsible for only one type of part.

The parts produced by the same workshop also have lower variability. This leads to cars in the future being easily resolved by replacing parts when problems arise, reducing repair time and trouble.

Because workers only need to be responsible for the production of one type of part, the demands on workers are greatly reduced. As workers become more skilled, the pass rate of produced parts will increase, and errors will decrease.

By simply assembling standardized parts one by one along the assembly line, a complete car can be assembled.

This not only increased the production speed of cars but also reduced the failure rate and improved the stability of cars.

It is precisely these changes that have allowed cars, which had existed for a long time, to finally go global and become indispensable means of transport and transport tools for humanity.

The Model T also became the most legendary model at the time, selling over 15 million units in less than 20 years, with an average of nearly 1 million units sold annually.

How exaggerated are these figures? Before the advent of the Model T and assembly line production, the total annual car production in Europe and the United States combined did not exceed 10,000 units.

In less than 20 years, assembly line production expanded the world’s car production volume by hundreds of times; its role is evident.

Carlo certainly understood the principle of assembly line production. As long as automobile companies can further improve existing cars, and engine companies can develop more stable engines with higher thermal efficiency, it is basically possible to consider the comprehensive promotion of cars.

Although promoting cars 30 years in advance will face more problems, if the Model T can sell 15 million units, Spain’s developed cars should be able to sell at least 1 million units.

Announcing the reputation of Spanish cars earlier will also be beneficial for Spain to seize the automobile market.

The Model T, as a famous model launched by Ford Motor Company, directly made Ford Motor Company the largest automobile manufacturer in the world at that time.

How exaggerated was its peak period? The production volume of the Model T alone accounted for 56.6% of the world’s total car production, meaning Ford Motor Company occupied more than 60% of the world automobile market.

Ford Motor Company could have solidified its status as the automobile hegemon by relying on the great empire built by the Model T.

Unfortunately, Ford Motor Company later became too proud and complacent with its achievements and did not keep pace with other companies in the technological advancements of cars, eventually leading to its market being gradually eroded.

If Ford Motor Company had focused on technological progress, continuously improved the Model T, and developed new cars, even if it couldn’t maintain a 60% market share, it could have stabilized its market share at over 30%.

How exaggerated is a 30% market share? In later generations, the annual global car sales exceed 85 million units, meaning a 30% market share translates to over 25 million sales.

Although the current automobile market is not as exaggerated, it is very necessary to seize the automobile market earlier and gradually stabilize one’s position.

If Spanish cars can be introduced to the global market 30 years in advance, the expansion of the world automobile market can also be carried out earlier.

Judging from the world’s car production and sales volume around the birth of the Model T, the automobile market has great prospects.

As long as cars can be developed earlier, even in the 19th century, car sales can still be calculated in the tens of thousands.

After all, there are many wealthy people in various countries around the world. Relying solely on sales to royal families and capitalists in each country already represents a considerable potential market.

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