Andrew L. Riker
Andrew Lawrence Riker (* 1868 in New York; † 1930) was an American automobile pioneer, racer, inventor, engineer, founder of a leading American manufacturer of electric cars, and in 1905 one of the 30 co-founder and three years first president of the American Society of Automotive Engineers (Society of Automotive Engineers ). His first Vice President was Henry Ford
Andrew L. Riker built in 1894 with 16 years of its first electric car, which he used two Remington bicycles and two electric motors as a constructive basis.
1896 at age 18, he founded in Brooklyn, New York, the Riker Electric Motor Company for the production of electric cars. 1899 Riker moved the company headquarters to Port Elizabeth, New Jersey and renamed the company into Riker Electric Vehicle Company. The car companies offered under the brand name Riker successful electric cars in a variety of designs to: Tricycles ( tricycles), runabouts, Phaeton, Surrey, Victoria, Demi coaches and Brougham. It also built the minibus station coach as well as postal and delivery vehicles. In 1900, he called the company in Riker Motor Vehicle Company. Its 5 -ton vans from 1900 sold very well especially in New York.
On April 14, 1900 Andrew L. Riker took part with one of its electric cars on the first 50-mile road race, which was held in the United States. The race went on Merrick Road on Long Iceland from Springfield to Babylon there turning point in the Sherman House and back to Springfield, corner of Merrick Road / Springfield Avenue. Of the 15 participants, 9 reached the target. Except Riker electric car they were all steam car or gasoline. Riker won the race with a time of 2 hours, 3 minutes and 30 seconds. The second winner S.T. Davis Jr. needed two hours 18 minutes and 27 seconds, the third winner, Alexander Fischer, took 2 hours, 30 minutes and 1 second.
1902, the company went on in the Electric Vehicle Company. He received $ 1.7 million in shares.
Riker turned more and more to design challenges in the field of internal combustion engines. He also acquired patents in the fields of gas engines, dynamos, motors, electrical systems, transformers and automotive accessories.
1902-1921 he was Vice President of the Locomobile Company where he was responsible for the development and production of vehicles with internal combustion engines. In 1904 he developed a 90 hp racing car for Locomobile. His Locomobile Old 16 's race car was the first American car that won an international race, the Vanderbilt Cup of 1908. This victory strengthened the prestige of the American automobile at that time very much. During the First World War, many Locomobile vans were used.
1915 was appointed to the U.S. Naval Consulting Board, where for the Committee for Internal Combustion Engines (board 's committee on internal combustion engine ).