Autocar: 100 Years of Vocational Trucks

Autocar: 100 Years of Vocational Trucks

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Autocar stakes its claim as the oldest truck manufacturer in the world – and can point to a long line of tough, specialized commercial vehicles that continue to this day. Celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, the OEM recently stepped confidently into the 21st century with its new DC Model lineup.

After the debut of Autocar No. 1, a single-cylinder gasoline-powered tricycle in 1897, Autocar and its founder Louis Semple Clarke saw a need to develop custom-engineered trucks for demanding commercial and municipal customers. By 1921, Autocar offered three truck models, with capacities ranging from 1-1/2 to 6 tons, various wheelbases, and conventional and engine-under-the-seat designs.