Car History. 15. New Fuel: Petroleum 3

 On December 31, 1879, Benz created the gasoline engine but was unable to build an automobile using it. The problem was not only the lack of funds for research due to the poor performance of his business at the time, but also his indecisive personality, which left him unable to take action. While Benz was hesitating, wondering whether to eat the nearly finished meal with his bare hands or with a spoon, Daimler and Maybach were troubled not by financial or technical problems, but by something entirely different.

Although Otto prohibited research on engines using petroleum as fuel, Daimler persistently argued that petroleum, which had shown strong explosions, should be used as fuel. The more Daimler pressed his case, the more Otto regarded Gottlieb Daimler as a competitor and refused to accept it.

Meanwhile, the Otto engine, which used gas as fuel, achieved a breakthrough through Maybach’s continuous improvements, producing 2.2 horsepower and exceeding 10% thermal efficiency. This was exhibited at the 1881 Paris World Exposition, where it won the highest award, the Gold Medal. The Otto engine was now world-famous.

Then, one day in August 1881, Otto summoned Daimler and Maybach to his office.

“Did you call for us, sir?”

“Oh~ Daimler, Maybach. Come in. How have you been lately?”

“Thanks to you, sir, we have been doing well without any major problems.”

“Is that so? It seems you two have been very busy lately. I hardly ever see you, so I was curious.”

At that time, Otto sensed that Daimler and Maybach were secretly working on something. He suspected it was an engine using petroleum, but since he had no proof, Otto remained suspicious of them. After a moment of awkward silence, Otto broke it and addressed Daimler.

“The reason I called you here is that I’d like you and Maybach to visit Russia. How is your schedule these days?”

“For what purpose are we to go to Russia?”

“Our company currently has a large market in Europe. But I am looking beyond that, toward the Russian market, which is as large as Europe. I’d like you and Maybach to travel to Russia, inspect their technological level and factories, and conduct a market survey.”

Daimler thought for a moment before replying to Otto.

“This matter is too important to decide right here. Maybach has just recently had a son, so I would like to consider it further before giving you an answer.”

“I see. Still, I believe you two are the best men to thoroughly investigate the untapped Russian market. I’ll look forward to good news. You may go now.”

That evening at Daimler’s home, Daimler and his wife Emma, Maybach and his wife Bertha Wilhelmine Habermaas (Emma’s close friend), gathered for dinner together. Maybach and Habermaas had married in 1878, and she now held their beloved baby in her arms. This baby was none other than Karl Maybach (born July 6, 1879), who would later establish Maybach Motorenbau and create the “Maybach” brand.

Karl Maybach, who later created the Maybach brand

After dinner, as they chatted, the story of Otto’s request for a business trip to Russia came up. Curious, Emma asked Daimler:

“So, if you go on this trip, how long will you be away?”

“Well, to travel across vast Russia would take at least two to three months. That’s why I couldn’t make a simple decision and wanted to discuss it.”

To be honest, Daimler and Maybach wanted to go to Russia. Although it was officially a business trip for market research at Otto’s request, they were inquisitive engineers and scientists. They thought there might be machines being built and used in Russia that they did not yet know about. They had always been curious and eager to explore.

Emma, Daimler’s wife, disliked being apart from him for such a long time. But she understood Daimler’s and Maybach’s intentions and inwardly decided to let him go. The real issue was Habermaas, Maybach’s wife and Emma’s close friend. Since she was newly married and had a newborn son, Emma thought she would not want to send her husband off to distant Russia. So Emma asked Habermaas:

“Habermaas, what do you think?”

“Well… it’s a bit difficult for me. The baby is still so young… What about you, Emma?”

“I think this is a great opportunity for my husband and Mr. Maybach. Even though they are going for company business, I believe it will be a journey full of experiences and insights for them. So I’ve decided to let him go.”

Habermaas lowered her head, gazed at her baby, and seemed lost in thought. After a moment, she smiled at Emma and replied:

“If thoughtful Emma thinks so, then I must let him go too.”

She ended her words with a smile as she looked at Maybach sitting beside her. Daimler and Maybach were actually more worried now, surprised at how easily their wives agreed.

“Habermaas, there will be other opportunities to go to Russia. If you truly don’t want me to go, I won’t. Please tell me honestly.”

Daimler also asked Emma:

“Emma, I know your health has not been good recently. Others could handle this trip if necessary. If you and Habermaas both tell us not to go, we’ll respect your wishes.”

Habermaas then spoke to Daimler:

“Mr. Daimler, I understand Emma’s heart, sending you off despite her poor health. It is also difficult for me to send my husband away with our newborn, but I can sense Emma’s feelings. Perhaps Emma thinks this may be the only chance for you and Mr. Maybach to visit Russia before the new engine you are building is completed. Emma and I believe that the engine our husbands are making will reach further into the world than Otto’s engine. So I am sending my husband on this distant journey to give him the opportunity to lay that foundation.”

Hearing this, Emma nodded in agreement and looked at Daimler and Maybach. The two men had never imagined that their wives would understand them so deeply.

The foresight of Emma and Habermaas for the sake of their husbands later became reality. Daimler’s and Maybach’s engine did indeed spread further across the world than Otto’s. Unlike Europe, Russia’s severe cold made Otto’s gas-fueled engine unsuitable, since the fuel gas would freeze in the harsh winter. One of Otto’s reasons for sending Daimler and Maybach to Russia was to solve this problem.

With the encouragement of their wise wives, Daimler and Maybach departed for Russia in September, a land with conditions completely different from Europe. They stayed for about three months, confirming how engines performed under the harsh climate, and became convinced that petroleum was far more suitable as a fuel than gas.