Enrico Bernardi

As a child growing up in Verona, Bernardi spent much of his free time in blacksmiths' workshops learning the skills to put his inventive abilities into practice.

In 1856, he entered a mechanical model of a steam engine and locomotive in the Verona Agricultural Exhibition, where he earned an honorable mention for his work.

[1] Bernardi completed his secondary education in Verona and enrolled in the University of Padua in October 1859.

[1] On 5 August 1882 he prototyped the Motrice Pia, his petrol combustion engine (one cylinder, 121.6 cm3 displacement), almost at the same time as German Karl Benz.

[citation needed] A company called Miari & Giusti in Padova started production of Bernardi's engines and cars in 1894.