Andreas Flocken
Andreas Flocken (b. 6 February 1845 in Albersweiler, Rheinpfalz, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Confederation; d. 29 April 1913 in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, German Empire) was a German inventor and entrepreneur. In addition to the four-wheeled electric car, he also invented the tie rod, an important component for kingpin steering (front axle).
Life
- The Flocken family is of ancient Germanic origin and is described by the renowned heraldist Johann Siebmacher in his "Wappenbuch" (Book of Coats of Arms) of the city of Nuremberg, Kingdom of Bavaria, Germany, published in 1701. The family resided in the village of Flockenbach, Kingdom of Württemberg, Germany, between 1500 and 1600 AD. The first documented member of this branch of the Flocken family was Thomas Flocken, born on 22 September 1822 in Albersweiler.[1]
Andreas Flocken was born in Albersweiler, the son of cooper and vineyard owner Jakob Flocken. After school, he apprenticed as a locksmith and mechanic. He worked at the Heinrich Lanz AG agricultural machinery factory in Mannheim until around 1868. Until 1879, he was a foreman at the Schoppers company in Zeulenroda. In 1879, he moved with his family to Coburg, to the house at Kreuzwehrstraße 8.
In 1880, Flocken acquired the building plot at Callenberger Straße 15. In the same year, he founded his agricultural machinery factory and built a factory building. The A. Flocken Machine Factory began manufacturing agricultural machinery (choppers and similar equipment) in 1881. In 1883, Flocken moved to the property at Callenberger Straße 2. In 1888, Department B for electrical engineering was established.
Flocken, like other entrepreneurs of the time, struggled with the problem that the over one-hundred-year-old steam engine technology was no longer competitive due to its low efficiency (high energy input compared to low energy output). He saw the spread of electricity as an opportunity for his company and focused on the construction and installation of dynamos and electric motors. In 1890, he became a co-tenant of the municipal grinding mill, which was located near his factory. Flocken operated a water-powered dynamo there.
In 1891, Flocken began developing an electricity grid in the Coburg railway station district. Over the next ten years, he submitted eight applications for the construction of overhead high-voltage power lines. The city only partially approved the construction of the grid, and the applications of the owner of the railway station hotel to electrify his building were rejected twice by the city administration. The reason given was the fear that this could negatively impact the municipal gasworks. The justification stated that approving such a project would set a precedent and allow larger businesses in Coburg to switch from gas to electricity. This would lead to a decline in the city's revenue and profits.
Flocken was not only concerned with electrification and renewable energy, but also with using electricity to power vehicles. His vehicle, developed in 1888 and mistakenly dubbed a "steam chaise" by the press, was the world's first four-wheeled electric car. Flocken's innovative spirit is evident in his use of the principle of kingpin steering, which Carl Benz had not yet dared to employ in his motor cars built in 1886 and 1888. Benz's cars, due to steering problems, still ran on three wheels, not four.
Andreas Flocken continuously improved his vehicle and also installed electric headlights. His drives attracted considerable attention in Coburg. Elegant ladies are said to have let out cries of terror at the sight of the silent, horseless carriage.
The electric car's range was very limited. To be able to visit his daughter after her marriage, Flocken purchased a power plant in Redwitz an der Rodach in 1905 and also used the building (a watermill) to generate electricity. After driving the approximately 35-kilometer route there, the battery had to be recharged before he could return to Coburg. This was one of the reasons why the car was never developed for mass production.
Flocken Electric Car
Flocken was the developer of the Flocken Electric Car (1888), considered the world's first four-wheeled electric car. Built in his Coburg factory (the Coburg machine factory A. Flocken built the passenger car in 1888), it makes him a key pioneer of early electromobility. He recognized the potential of electric propulsion early on. His four-wheeled vehicle is a battery-electric light electric car, considered the first of its kind worldwide. Utilizing an electric motor and lead-acid batteries, the car laid the foundation for later electric vehicles. A faithful replica of the car has been created and is on display in the art collections of the Veste Coburg fortress to honor Flocken's achievement.[2]
Kaiser Wilhelm II kept three electric limousines in his fleet and had them chauffeured around the capital. These were manufactured by Benz & Cie., the world's largest automobile manufacturer around 1900. Their range was a maximum of 80 kilometers. Electric cars were no longer developed after about 1910. The decisive factor was the emerging availability of cheap oil for gasoline-powered vehicles; gasoline-powered cars had a much greater range.
Succession
In 1911, his son, Robert Flocken, who had already joined his father's company as an electrical engineer in 1895, took over the agricultural machinery factory and the electrical installation business in Coburg as sole proprietor. The mill and the Redwitz an der Rodach power plant passed to his son-in-law, Adolf Mittmann, the following year.
