July 14, 2014

The First Russian Automobile


The First Russian Automobile
July 14, 1896, is celebrated as the birthday of the Russian automobile – on this day, the first Russian-built motorcar with an internal combustion engine was introduced to the public at the Arts Exhibition in Nizhni Novgorod. 
 
Eugene Yakovlev
Eugene Yakovlev
Its creators, Eugene Yakovlev and Pyotr Freze, partnered after seeing the German Benz car at the World Exhibition in Chicago in 1893. Mr. Yakovlev, a retired Navy lieutenant, had been working on his own model of the internal combustion engine and held multiple patents for kerosene and gas-powered engines; Mr. Freze was an engineer who also owned a carriage-building business. 
 
Incidentally, during his illustrious Navy career, Mr. Yakovlev served aboard the American steamer Yazoo. He also served on a German steamship that sailed the Baltic Sea. His experiments on internal combustion began with attempts to adapt the engine invented by the German engineer Nicolaus Otto to liquid fuel -- unsuccessfully.
 
In 1889, Mr. Yakovlev successfully manufactured and sold an engine of his own construction. The Russian Exploration Society had been watching his efforts with great interest, and invited him to make a presentation at its annual congress -- this also contributed to Yakovlev's success. An endorsement from Dmitry Mendeleev himself, an ultimate authority in Russian science and engineering, crowned Yakovlev as one of the nation's stars.
 
The first car in Nizhny Novgorod
The first Russian car
The first Russian car, a product of the Freze-Yakovlev partnership, was equipped with a single horizontal cylinder that was located at the back of the vehicle and produced up to 2 horse powers. The ignition was electric, generated from an innovative dry-element battery and a patented spark plug. The automobile seated two, had two brakes and could travel at the speed of up to 13 mph. 
 

Emperor Nicholas II, when he visited the exhibition, did not find the invention particularly appealing, but the lack of imperial endorsement did not prevent Yakovlev and Freze from launching an advertising campaign and continuing to develop their invention. Their partnership ended when Mr. Yakovlev died unexpectedly, at the age of 41, and his engine factory changed hands. 

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955