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Direct-Drive Motor Company

Founded in 1917 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Direct Drive Motor Car Company built automobiles under the brand Champion. In 1923 the Company was renamed as the Champion Motors Corporation (between 1908 and 1923 there were three car brands in the US with the same name).
Investment Office, October 2019

The company plodded along until 1924 when it had to close its business.

Source: Auktionshaus Gutowski

 

50 cars were manufactured between 1918 and 1924.

So already in the early 20th century we had a proof of concept of a special engine with the principle of direct drive in which the load is connected directly to the motor, without mechanical transmission elements such as gear boxes or belt and pulley systems. In other words, the motor directly drives the load.

Interestingly, a hundred years later, this idea of direct drive was to become widely adopted by electric cars.

The above stock certificate of the Direct Drive Motor Car Company is dated 1918. It is provided through the courtesy of Auktionshaus Gutowski, as part of the catalogue "70. Auktion Historischer Wertpapiere am 2.12.2019".