The company took its name from a small parcel of land in Clyde with the name Elmore associated with it where a stave mill was established originally, then evolved into bicycle production.

Founded by Harmon Von Vechten Becker and his two sons, James and Burton, the Elmore used a two-stroke engine design, in straight twin or single-cylinder versions.

[3] The first car was offered in 1900 with two body styles seating either two or four passengers with a single cylinder engine producing 6 hp with a 62" wheelbase.

Equipped with a tonneau, it could seat four passengers and sold for just US$850 ($28,824 in 2023 dollars [4]), making it one of the least-expensive vehicles on the market.

The vertically mounted Straight-twin engine, also situated at the center of the car, produced 8 hp (6 kW).

In 1908, Elmore's three-cylinder two-stroke caught the attention of William C. Durant, founder of General Motors.