History of Autocar Trucks.
125 years of Experience. Autocar is the oldest surviving motor vehicle brand in the Western Hemisphere, with over 125 years of experience in the vocational trucking industry. ¹² Founded in 1897 by Louis Semple Clarke and his partners, Autocar started as a manufacturer of Brass Era automobiles and trucks. ¹ The company soon focused on commercial vehicles and introduced many innovations that shaped the modern American cars and trucks. ² The Early Years: 1897-1920s In 1899, Autocar built the first motor truck commercially available in the U.S. It had a payload capacity of 700 pounds and an engine-under-the-seat design that maximized area for freight. ²³ In 1907, Autocar launched the Model XVIII truck, which had a 97-inch wheelbase, a one and a half-ton capacity, and a two-cylinder gasoline engine under the seat. ¹ In 1911, Autocar decided to focus exclusively on trucks and produced it
