How does a car work?

Burn a drop of petrol, push a piston, twist a crankshaft, and the road pushes you forward. A petrol car burns fuel inside its engine. The hot gas pushes pistons, the pistons turn a crankshaft, and the spin travels through the gearbox, driveshaft and differential to the wheels.

Read how it works: How does a car work? · The history of the car · More boxes on Glassbox

Chapters in this interactive model

1. Inside a car: Burn fuel, push pistons, turn a shaft, and let the wheels push the road.
2. Suck, squeeze, bang, blow: Four strokes of a piston turn burning petrol into a spinning crankshaft.
3. Torque, horsepower and the dyno: Torque is how hard the engine twists. Power is how fast it can keep twisting.
4. Gears, clutch and differential: Trade speed for twist, disconnect the engine, and let the wheels turn at different speeds.
5. Push, drag and top speed: The tyres push; air, tyres and hills push back. Whatever is left over speeds you up.
6. The electric car: A big battery, one motor, one gear, and brakes that make electricity.