January 6, 1930 – The first diesel road trip
At 11 years old in 1930, the Cummins Engine Company faced a make or break situation. It was now or never to show the public that diesel motors were a viable option for passenger car travel if they intended to stay in business. To do so, founder Clessie Cummins concocted a marketing stunt that'd once and for all prove diesel engines could compete with gasoline motors in daily drivers. He installed one of his engines in a used Packard and prepped for the first long distance journey in a diesel powered automobile. With the eyes of journalists and the public upon him, he set off from Indianapolis, Indiana for New York City. The 792 mile trip came to a successful end on this day in 1930. Overall, the car used used about 30 gallons of diesel fuel at a cost of less than $1.38.
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