In 1900, automobile sales in the US were split among internal combustion, steam, and battery-powered cars. Steam cars once dominated technological progress, from steamboats to railroads, but faltered with the steam car in the age of automobiles. Despite the success of steam buses and speeds of over 75 mph, the French steam car market collapsed after 1902. In the US, the Locomobile thrived until 1902, when the market shifted to combustion cars. Steam cars required time to build up steam and complex controls, losing out to the quicker and more efficient combustion engines. This marked the end of the steam car era, despite its early success.
https://technicshistory.com/2024/05/30/coda-steams-last-stand/