1916
Owen Magnetic The
Owen Magnetic is one of the most unusual cars of all time. Although
it has a Buda six cylinder engine up front, this engine is not connected
to the wheels. Rather the engine drives a generator whose output is
fed to an electric motor in the rear axle. By means of a switching
system, various generator output taps are connected to the various
motor leads as power and speed are adjusted to meet the needs of the
car. Consequently there is no need for gear shifts and clutches. The
two items which women found frustrating were the necessity to crank
the car to start it, and the annoyance of gear-shifting at a time
long before synchromesh transmissions. The car was one of the most
expensive in America, $6,000 at a time when a Ford could be purchased
for $350. Consequently, although the system worked, it did not survive
past 1920 even though such luminaries as Enrico Caruso and John McCormick
were owners. |
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