The early history of the automobile can be divided into a number of eras, based on the prevalent means of propulsion. Later periods were defined by trends in exterior styling, size, and utility preferences.

In 1769 the first steam-powered automobile capable of human transportation was built by Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot.

In 1807 François Isaac de Rivaz designed the first car powered by an internal combustion engine fueled by hydrogen.

In 1864 Siegfried Marcus built the first gasoline powered combustion engine, which he placed on a pushcart, building four progressively sophisticated combustion-engine cars over a 10-to-15-year span that influenced later cars. Marcus created the two-cycle combustion engine. The car's second incarnation in 1880 introduced a four-cycle, gasoline-powered engine, an ingenious carburetor design, and magneto ignition. He created an additional two models further refining his design with steering, a clutch, and brakes. His second car is on display at the Technical Museum in Vienna. During his lifetime, he was honored as the originator of the motorcar. But his place in history was all but erased by the Nazis during World War II. Because Marcus was of Jewish descent, the Nazi propaganda office ordered his work to be destroyed, his name expunged from future textbooks, and his public memorials removed, giving credit instead to Karl Benz.

In 1886, Karl Benz developed a petrol- or gasoline-powered automobile. This is also considered to be the first "production" vehicle as Benz made several other identical copies.

At the turn of the 20th century electrically powered automobiles appeared but only occupied a niche market until the turn of the 21st century.