Steam engines in cars have a great amount of torque.[4] With all this torque they can accelerate very quickly. Because the torque is available over a broad range of speeds, a transmission wasn't needed.[4] They could also carry heavy loads with ease. The speed of a steam car is controlled by the throttle alone and the engine never stalls.[5] Steam cars had fewer moving parts than gasoline powered cars.[6] Also steam cars are very quiet.
A major disadvantage is that a steam car has to "fire up" its boiler (has to get up to operating temperature). This can take as much as 20 minutes before the car can move.[7] In the winter there was the added problem of water freezing.[6] The open-cycle steam engine in cars and steam locomotives could not go far without adding water.[4] The water turned to steam, which was lost when it exited the engine. Steam condensers were added to these cars later. This converted the steam back to water. It was too late; by then steam cars had lost out to cars with internal combustion engines.[4]
