La Jamais Contente

{{Infobox automobile

| name = La Jamais Contente

| image = Jamais contente.jpg

| caption = Illustration of "La Jamais Contente", first automobile to reach 100 km/h in 1899

| manufacturer = {{lang|fr|Compagnie Internationale des transports automobiles électriques}}

| aka = The Never Satisfied

| production = 1899

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| engine = Electrical

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| length = {{convert|3.80|m|abbr=on}}

| width = {{convert|1.56|m|abbr=on}}

| height = {{convert|1.40|m|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|1450|kg|abbr=on}}

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File:Jamais Contente (1899) Replique, Paris Motor Show 2018, IMG 0467.jpg 2018]]

File:La Jamais Contente Antrieb.JPG, Altlußheim, Germany]]

La Jamais Contente ({{IPA|fr|la ʒamɛ kɔ̃tɑ̃t}}; {{langx|en|The Never Contented}}) was the first road vehicle to go over {{convert|100|km/h}}. It was a Belgian electric vehicle with a light-alloy torpedo-shaped bodywork and batteries. The high position of the driver and the exposed chassis underneath spoiled much of the aerodynamics.[http://www.roadandtrack.com/column/wheeling-to-800-km-h Wheeling to 800 km/h], Tech Tidbits, May 9, 2005. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023155909/http://www.roadandtrack.com/column/wheeling-to-800-km-h |date=2012-10-23 }} The light alloy, called partinium, is a mixture of aluminium, tungsten and magnesium.{{cite journal |last1=Bourgarit |first=David |first2=Jean |last2=Plateau |title=Quand l'aluminium valait de l'or : peut-on reconnaître un aluminium "chimique" d'un aluminium "électrolytique"? |journal=ArchéoSciences |year=2005 |volume=29 |issue=29 |pages=95–105 |doi=10.4000/archeosciences.560 |url=http://archeosciences.revues.org/560 |accessdate=30 August 2011 |language=French|doi-access=free }}

The land speed record was established on 29 April or 1 May 1899 at Achères, Yvelines near Paris, France. The vehicle had two Postel-Vinay 25 kW motors, each driving the rear axle via a chain, running at 200 V and drawing 124 A each,{{cite web | title= La Jamais Contente | url= http://www.e-mobile.ch/pdf/2005/Fact-Sheet_LaJamaisContente_FW.pdf | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061010140242/http://www.e-mobile.ch/pdf/2005/Fact-Sheet_LaJamaisContente_FW.pdf | url-status= dead | archive-date= 2006-10-10 }}{{cite news|title=EV Zero? |publisher=EV1 Club |url=http://ev1-club.power.net/torpedo.htm |accessdate=2006-10-18 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061012220024/http://ev1-club.power.net/torpedo.htm |archivedate=2006-10-12 |url-status=dead }} for about 68 hp total, and was equipped with Michelin tires. The chassis was number 25.

Today, it is on display at the National Car and Tourism Museum in Compiègne.{{Cite web |title=Musées automobiles : Musée National de la Voiture et du Tourisme (Compiègne) {{!}} Moniteur Automobile |url=https://www.moniteurautomobile.be/actu-auto/loisirs/musees-automobiles-musee-national-de-la-voiture-et-du-tourisme-compiegne.html |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=www.moniteurautomobile.be |language=fr}}

Driver

The vehicle was driven by the Belgian driver Camille Jenatzy. Camille was the son of Constant Jenatzy, a manufacturer of rubber products (rubber was still a novelty at the time). Camille had studied as an engineer, with an interest in electric-traction automobiles. He became known for his record-breaking speed runs and was nicknamed {{lang|fr|Le Diable Rouge}} ("The Red Devil") for the colour of his beard. He died in 1913, after being shot in a hunting accident.

Motivation

Wishing to carve a place in the then promising Parisian electric carriage market, Jenatzy started a manufacturing plant, which would produce many electric carriages and trucks. He competed fiercely against the carriage-maker Jeantaud in publicity stunts to see which of them made the fastest vehicles. In order to ensure the triumph of his company, Jenatzy built a bullet-shaped prototype, conceived by the carriage-maker Rothschild in partinium (an alloy of laminated aluminum, tungsten and magnesium).

Speed record

Jenatzy reached the speed of {{convert|105.882|km/h}}, besting the previous record, held by Count Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat driving a Jeantaud, who had attained {{convert|92.78|km/h}} on 4 March 1899. After this exploit the gasoline-fuelled combustion engine would increasingly supplant electric technology for the next century.

The Jamais Contente is now on display at the automobile museum in Compiègne, France.

References

External links

{{in lang|fr}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20031018202522/http://www.musee-chateau-compiegne.fr/pages/page_id18926_u1l2.htm National car and tourism museum in Compiègne]

Category:Electric land speed record cars

Category:Electric vehicles introduced in the 20th century

Category:Belgian inventions