When Was The First Diesel Truck Made And Who Built It?

It burns at a notably lower rate, but with a broader margin, making it more suitable for powering larger vehicles, such as freight trucks, on longer journeys.

Diesel trucks have a long history that began over 100 years ago with pioneer work in 1923 by a now extinct company called Benz & Cie. The engineers who developed it could not foresee the profound influence that their invention would have on the automotive industry over the next century.

This is the story of the world's very first diesel-powered truck, courtesy of Benz & Cie., and second in the world to follow was Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG).

By the 1920s, cars were hitting the roads everywhere. Charles Daimler actually invented the first truck back in the 1890s, but it sparked more interest in the potential of this technology. At Benz & Cie., people were focused on improving the engine, and they had a challenge in mind - creating a truck that ran on a diesel engine, which would burn more slowly and efficiently than gasoline. Accomplishing this was a major achievement, one that Benz & Cie. was able to make a reality.

In 1923, the Benz & Cie. diesel truck was equipped with a four-cylinder OB 2 engine, which produced 45 horsepower at 1,000 rpm. This engine showed significant improvement in fuel efficiency compared to its gasoline-powered counterparts and was also capable of running on various fuels, including gasoline and paraffin oil. Around the same time, Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft was showcasing its diesel engine truck with an air-injection engine that produced 40 horsepower at 1,000 rpm. When first demonstrated in public in Berlin that October, it made a strong impression in its first appearance as part of a truck, bus, and three-sided tipper.

Benz & Cie. and DMG were groundbreaking pioneers in the diesel truck industry. Through their innovations, they cleared the path for the world's first diesel-powered passenger vehicle to emerge on the streets in the 1930s.

A diesel-powered car was not far behind.

Just a few years after launching their diesel trucks, both Benz & Cie and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft underwent a major restructuring. In 1926, they merged to form Daimler-Benz, a company we know today as Mercedes-Benz. This transformation didn't change their interest in diesel engines at all. In fact, it didn't take long for the company to figure out what those engines could do in cars. In 1936, the merged company, Mercedes-Benz, introduced the 260 D, considered the world's first diesel-powered passenger vehicle.

Over the years, Mercedes-Benz has consistently developed and improved its diesel engine technology.

It's hard to envision driving routes without modern diesel vehicles more than 90 years after the launch of the first civilian diesel-powered car and over a century since the unveiling of the first diesel truck on highways.

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