Chapter 600: Trial
After the car had run around the square for a while, Ernst's family members each took a turn test driving this new type of vehicle.
The staff member in charge of the vehicle operation, dressed in a formal suit, quickly ran to the car door, opened it smoothly, and invited King Konstantin to enter the rear compartment.
"Your Majesty, please sit securely!"
Konstantin examined it carefully; the space inside was rather narrow, far less spacious than a carriage. The seats took up most of the room and were made of hard leather, but still fairly comfortable.
However, the temperature inside was not so friendly, so the sunroof was open to allow ventilation.
This type of vehicle had been researched by Hechingen Energy and Power Company for nearly a decade, and upon launch was already highly refined, including the power system.
In his previous life, Carl Benz's first automobile had a top speed of only 12 km/h, while horse-drawn carriages generally reached 16 km/h. The royal custom model developed by Hechingen, sharpened over ten years, could reach a top speed of 30 km/h—more than double.
The technical barriers built into it would also allow Hechingen Energy and Power to maintain its status as a global leader for the long term.
As the car started, Konstantin felt its remarkable performance. With a maximum speed of 30 km/h—twice as fast as a carriage—and able to keep running until the fuel was depleted, it was impressive. For safety reasons, they usually kept the speed at around 20 km/h, which was already very fast.
The breeze flowing in from the window and sunroof cooled the cabin. Hollow tires and smooth roads made the ride very stable.
After Konstantin, others also took turns trying out the new vehicle. Archduke Ferdinand, in particular, was very excited, and so was Princess Charlotte. The couple asked the driver to accelerate to the max, chasing the thrill of speed.
Finally, Karina rode with Ernst. Since Karina was pregnant with their second child, Ernst had the driver reduce the speed to 10 km/h for safety.
"Will this kind of vehicle replace carriages in the future?" Karina asked.
"Of course. But it will take a long time to develop. Right now, the production cost is too high—aside from top nobles and wealthy capitalists, the average person simply can't afford it," Ernst replied.
In truth, the automobiles promoted by the three German states weren't exactly the first prototypes. The earliest true "car" was a steam-powered one invented by French army engineer Cugnot in 1804. So from 1804 to 1880, steam cars had their golden age—but due to limitations like difficulty operating in cold weather, trouble boiling water, and braking issues, steam cars were gradually phased out, or rather never truly adopted on a large scale.
East Africa's car, more accurately called a fuel-powered vehicle, avoided that problem. Just like how "power bank" refers to a battery, calling it a mobile power supply is still acceptable.
Ernst continued, "Karina, this car may seem comfortable and sleek, but in fact, only the three royal families of our countries each have one. The actual product being released for the market is quite basic. Of course, if you're willing to pay the price, you can have the full package."
As someone from the future, Ernst had ensured that the royal edition cars were nearly identical to modern ones in appearance.
But to build an industry around cars, he had to consider the market's purchasing power. These royal custom cars were, in today's terms, like a 21st-century rocket. Some people could buy one, but not many.
And even the outdated steam-powered cars weren't cheap. So to develop the automotive industry in East Africa, prices had to be reduced—products had to be made more affordable.
The easiest way to do that was to reduce specifications. Hechingen Energy and Power planned to release a vehicle with a top speed of 15 km/h—the current limit of many high-end engines.
Just like squeezing toothpaste, as a first-mover and giant in internal combustion technology, Hechingen had better technology—yet even the royal edition engine wasn't their best. Royal vehicles had safety as the top priority, so their engines prioritized stability—similar to military equipment.
Aside from speed reduction, commercial models would be simplified in parts, decoration, and comfort.
The cheapest version for mass production would likely be a three-wheeled open car, barely better than Carl Benz's original. Even so, only the rich could afford it. They could customize higher-spec models based on budget.
With its technical advantage, Hechingen could dominate the low, mid, and high-end sectors—and likely maintain a monopoly for a long time.
Switching tracks to bypass Hechingen's barriers was nearly impossible. And threatening East Africa with market access wouldn't work either, because Ernst had deployed this strategy simultaneously in Germany, Austria, and East Africa.
This avoided the embarrassment Japan faced in the previous life with hydrogen cars. Germany and Austria were global powers, and East Africa, though smaller, was still a top-tier nation. All could support the German auto industry.
Other countries might copy the technology, and although their profits wouldn't match Hechingen's, it was still possible to produce cars. But the high-end market would remain dominated by Hechingen for a long time.
Since automobiles were luxury goods at their inception, Hechingen essentially captured the best of the best.
It's similar to how in the modern world, if someone in Africa owned a car, they weren't ordinary people—whereas in the U.S., people debated which car brand to choose.
Karina understood Ernst's point. She said, "So this car is like your international transoceanic telephone—it's not something that can be mass adopted?"
Ernst had spent a fortune building that telephone link from Europe to Africa to maintain command—and it still hadn't paid off, much less been adopted widely.
But automobiles were different. Ernst replied, "Even a very expensive car costs far less than a telephone line across the sea. Unless you're making the entire vehicle from gold and silver, the costs are limited. And this industry has massive potential—I believe it won't be easily replaced. So your concern makes sense, but it won't reach that level."
Fuel-powered vehicles would still thrive in the 21st century. And now it was only the 19th century. So the auto industry had at least a century and a half of prosperity ahead. Even in Ernst's previous life, so-called new energy vehicles were still struggling. In oil-rich countries like Canada, Russia, and the Middle East, fuel cars were difficult to replace.
New energy vehicles required ample electricity—and charging was never as convenient as refueling. In many African countries, electricity hadn't even been widely adopted—so electric cars were out of the question.
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