DKW's inter-war car designs can trace their origin to the 1919 Slaby-Beringer Elektrowagen. Rudolf Slaby had been an aeronautical engineer during the First World War, but like many others was forced to try his hand in other industries after the Treaty of Versailles banned Germany from building aircraft. Slaby developed a small electric motor which he then installed in a simple cyclecar. The cyclecar's body was simple, self-supporting plywood box without doors.
Slaby joined forces with his cousin, Hermann Beringer, to begin manufacturing a saleable version and began shopping it around. They managed to secure a large export contract to Japan along with some small domestic sales. The largest domestic order of Elektrowagens was from DKW owner, Jorge Rasmussen, who ordered 20 cars in 1920.
Unfortunately the fledgling company was derailed by the German economic crisis of 1920s and by 1924 was plunged into insolvency. Ever the opportunist, Rasmussen exploited Slaby-Beringer's misfortune to buy out the company. Both Slaby and Beringer took up shares and board seats in J.S Rasmussen and Co, and Slaby became the chief engineer at DKW's newly formed automobile division. By the time Slaby-Beringer formally closed its doors in September 1924, 2005 Elecrowagens had been built. The last 266 cars were fitted with a DKW motorcycle engine mounted at the rear.
As Rasmussen's chief automobile designer Rudolf Slaby would build on the lessons learned from the Elektrowagen for DKW's first real car, the P-15 of 1928.
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