Past Gas #212: Mercedes Pt 1 - The Gritty Beginnings of Daimler, Maybach, and Benz

New Years’ Eve, 1879. 35 year old Karl Benz and his wife Bertha are huddled around a small block of iron. Karl no doubt thinks about the decade’s worth of work and near-financial ruin contained in its small footprint. But even if he can finally get it to run smoothly, it’s only a first step. His end goal is to use it in a horseless carriage, with the hopes of changing the way people move. But how did Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler, and Wilhelm Maybach revolutionize the internal combustion engine? How did they create an industry from essentially nothing? And how is the story of the automobile itself inextricable from the story of Mercedes-Benz? Today on Past Gas, the first episode in a four-part series on the history of Mercedes-Benz. Thanks to our sponsors: Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/PASTGAS . Offer good for a limited time. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/PASTGAS and get on your way to being your best self. Go to https://SHOPIFY.COM/gas now to grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in.  Go to https://PrizePicks.com/gas and use code gas for a first deposit match up to $100! Go to https://HelloFresh.com/gasfree and use code gasfree for FREE breakfast for life! One breakfast item per box while subscription is active. That’s free breakfast for life at HelloFresh dot com slash gasfree with code gasfree. More about Show: Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes.   Follow Joe on IG and Twitter @joegweber. Follow Donut @donutmedia, and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels!   Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas. If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/PastGas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices