Columbia Automobile Company

A different Columbia Motors existed from 1917 to 1924.

• Name — Columbia • Fate — Sold • Founded — 1899 • Defunct — 1910 (marque continued by purchaser) • Hq Location — Hartford, Connecticut, United States • Industry — Automobile • Products — Vehicles

The 1904 'Columbia Brougham' was equipped with a tonneau. It could seat four passengers and sold for. Twin electric motors were situated at the rear of the car. Similar 'Columbia' coupes, 'Columbia Hansom' cabs, or hansoms, were also produced for the same price. They could achieve 13 mi/h. A 'Columbia Victoria Phaeton' was priced at, but was based on the same design. The 'Columbia Surrey' and 'Columbia Victoria' were more traditional horseless carriages. Both used the same power system as the larger cars, with twin electric motors, but cost much less at and, respectively. At the bottom end of the range was the 'Columbia Runabout' car. Priced at just, it used a single electric motor, with an Exide battery and Concord springs. Columbia's basic runabout was typical of the time, resembling a horseless carriage, and was steered via a tiller. It cost, more than the contemporary Curved Dash Oldsmobile. The 1200 lb, single bench seat vehicle had a wheelbase of 64 in, and rode on 30 in wooden spoked wheels, with leather fenders. The drivetrain had clear evolutionary roots in Pope's bicycle business, driving the rear axle via a chain drive (typical of automobiles of the era), producing virtually the only operating noise. Between the motor and the chain drive was a transmission with three forward and two reverse speeds. Twenty batteries manufactured by Exide Batteries, also associated with Electric Vehicle Company, were placed above both axles in order to balance the weight. Brakes on both rear wheels featured a bell, which rang when the vehicle reached a full stop. Top speed was about 15 mi/h. Besides the runabout, Columbia manufactured about 20 other models including taxis, police cars, and buses. The vehicles were most popular in cities, where relatively smooth roads made the electric motor, with its smoothness and silence, appear superior over the gasoline engine. It helped in urban areas that electrical supply for recharging was easily found within the runabout's 40 mi range. Nevertheless, in 1903, a Columbia was driven 250 mi from Boston to New York City in 23 hours. In keeping with this urban orientation, the Columbia was positioned as a high-end vehicle (even at a time when automobiles were very expensive), with its showroom across the street from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.

• Year — Model — Wheel base — Tread — Cells — Speed • 1904 — Model XXXVIII — 1651 mm — 1270 mm — 20 • 1904 — Model LX — 1626 mm — 1219 mm — 20 • 1904 — Model XIX — 1740 mm — 1295 mm — 40 • 1904 — Model XXXV — 2076 mm — 1524 mm — 40 • 1904 — Model XXXIX — 1880 mm — 1295 mm — 40 • 1904 — Model XXXI —? —? — 40 —? • 1904 — Model XXXVI — 1778 mm — 1295 mm — 40 • 1904 — Model XI — 1753 mm —? mm — 44 • 1904 — Model XXXIV —? mm —? mm — 42 • 1904 — Model III — 1753 mm — 1597 mm — 42

The Columbia Touring Car was an entirely different car. A touring car model, it used a tonneau, seating six passengers, and resembled the touring models offered by many other companies at the time. Priced at to, it used a vertically mounted straight-4, situated at the front of the car, producing 24 hp. A four-speed sliding transmission was fitted. The car weighed 3000 lb. One design innovation was the "false frame" supporting the engine. A Knight sleeve valve powered model was added to the range in 1912 and 1913. • Columbia Mark XLIII • Columbia Mark XLIV • Columbia Mark XLV • Columbia Mark XLVI • Columbia Mark XLVII • Columbia Mark 48-4 • Columbia Mark 85 • Columbia Mark 48-5

• Year — Production figures — Model • 1897 — few • 1898 — 73 • 1899 — 387 • 1900 — 1,393 • 1901 — 1,427 — XIX; • 1902 — 1,583 — XIX; • 1903 — 1,727 — XIX; • 1904 — 1,937 — XXXVIII; LX; XIX; XXXV; XXXIX; XXXI; XXXVI; XI; XXXIV; III • 1905 — 1,213 • 1906 — 1,816 • 1907 — 2,210 • 1908 — 2,715 • 1909 — 2,817 • 1910 — 2.923 • 1911 — 2,236 — 85, 48-5 • 1912 — 1,817 • 1913 — 937 • Sum — 27,211