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Henry got a job as an engineer for the Edison Illuminating Company. Although Ford did not know a ton about electricity, he saw this job as an opportunity to learn. Henry was a quick learner when it came to electricity. He rose to the chief engineer of the Illuminating Company. But Henry had other interests other than his current job, he wanted to make a self-powered horseless carriage. So, he and his friends worked in a barn for days to build a self-propelled vehicle, The Ford Quadricycle. It had four wheels that looked like heavy bicycle wheels, was steered with a tiller like a boat. It had only two forward speeds with no reverse. 

​​​​​​​While Henry was still working at the powerplant he was thinking of how he could make his car better. Ford began thinking seriously of manufacturing gasoline automobiles. His second Ford vehicle was completed in 1898. In the same year, he finally received a patent for his automobile. In 1899, with money raised from investors following the development of a third model car, Ford left Edison Illuminating Company to pursue his car making business full time. Therefore, The Ford Motor Company was born.