June 4 – 1896- Ford tests the Quadricycle

On this day in 1896 Henry Ford test drove his first vehicle, the Quadricycle. It was named such due to the fact that it used four bicycle tires. He rolled the 2 cylinder, 4 horsepower vehicle out of his workshop after more than two years of experimentation. It featured a 2 speed transmission, without reverse, and a chain driven, ethanol powered engine. During his initial test drives he hit a whopping 20 miles per hour! Today the original Quadricycle is at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.
Ford sold his first Quadricycle for $200 in 1896 to Charles Ainsley. He later built two more Quadricycles: one in 1899, and another in 1901. He later bought his first one back for $60. The success of the vehicle led to him founding the Ford Motor Company in 1903. The rest, as we know, is history!