In what year did the automobile defeat its competitors for automotive locomotion?

In what year did the automobile defeat its competitors for automotive locomotion?

• A. 1895
• B. 1900
• C. 1905
• D. 1910

Answer: (C)

The situation being tested is when gasoline-powered automobiles became the dominant way to move people by road, overtaking steam and electric designs. In the earliest days, steam, electric, and gasoline cars all competed, but by about 1905 the gasoline-powered type began outselling the others and establishing itself as the standard for automotive locomotion. This shift happened because internal combustion, combined with lighter engines and evolving technology, allowed cheaper production and greater practicality. Once that lead was established, it set the stage for mass production and rapid expansion, with models like the Model T soon cementing gasoline cars as the default choice. Earlier years still saw strong competition from steam and electric options, and by 1910 the dominance was well underway, but the tipping point—the moment gasoline cars became the winners—fits around 1905.

The situation being tested is when gasoline-powered automobiles became the dominant way to move people by road, overtaking steam and electric designs. In the earliest days, steam, electric, and gasoline cars all competed, but by about 1905 the gasoline-powered type began outselling the others and establishing itself as the standard for automotive locomotion. This shift happened because internal combustion, combined with lighter engines and evolving technology, allowed cheaper production and greater practicality. Once that lead was established, it set the stage for mass production and rapid expansion, with models like the Model T soon cementing gasoline cars as the default choice. Earlier years still saw strong competition from steam and electric options, and by 1910 the dominance was well underway, but the tipping point—the moment gasoline cars became the winners—fits around 1905.