Gas engine was invented by

Gottlieb Daimler, along with Wilhelm Maybach, developed the first high-speed internal combustion engine in 1885. While earlier gas engines existed (Lenoir 1860, Otto 1876), Daimler's contribution was the practical, high-speed engine that enabled motor vehicles. The term 'gas engine' is historically ambiguous - some sources credit Lenoir with the first true gas engine, others point to Otto's four-stroke cycle. Daimler's innovation was making the engine compact and fast enough for transportation.