Everything You Need To Know About Electric Car History

These days electric cars are very often on the roads. Big automobile companies like Tesla, Kandi, Nissan, and many other companies already invested billions of dollars in electric vehicle technology projects. With the fast research developments and government decisions, International Energy Agency reports estimate in 2040, 58% of global car sales will be electric vehicles.

Electric vehicles are far more eco-friendly than gasoline vehicles. Records show one electric car can reduce an average of 1.5 million Co2 grams yearly that discharge by a combustion engine vehicle.

 However, if you think electric cars are new to the world, you are wrong. The history of the Electric vehicle went back to the 19th century.

First Generation Electric Vehicles

World First Electric Car Model

The first electric car model was build in 1828 by a Hungarian inventor called Anyos Jedlik. He invented an early-stage electric motor and created a small electric car model by using it.

After four years from the first model, Robert Anderson makes a crude electric carriage. Also, in 1838 professor Sibrandus Stratingh and Christopher Becker were able to develop a small-scale electric car. These are the first stage electric car concepts and models.

World First Electric Car

  According to automobile history, the first practical electric car was built in 1837 by Thomas Davenport. He is the guy who created the first D.C. motor in America.      

“The occult any mysterious principle of magnetism is being displayed in all of its magnificence energy  Mr.Davenport runs his wheel.”

New York Herald Newspaper

But this car didn’t have a rechargeable battery. At that time to the early 1900, steam power was the primarily used energy source for mechanism works. Because of this reason electric power systems and batteries were in the developing stage.

                 Forty years from Davenport’s innovation in 1884 British engineer called Thomas Parker created a successful electric car with rechargeable batteries. It was built and drive under the 1865 British locomotive act. Because of this act, this car could only go to 2 miles per hour.

Thomas Parker was also described as the Edison in Europe. He got patents for dynamos and lead-acid battery improvements. 

World’s First Production Car

In the year 1886, a remarkable thing happens in automobile history. German inventor Karl Benz was able to create the first production car in history. The reason behind Karl’s car, known as the first car, is its performance. This car was able to travel 106 km, and it is the world’s first long-distance road trip done by an automobile.

Unfortunately, At that time, Electric cars technology not ready for long-distance journeys. Benz’s first car is powered by a 954 cc single-cylinder four-stroke gas power engine. Until this car was invented, there is no evidence about car production happens in history. So this car also became the first production car in history.

London Electric Cab Service

                                In 1897 Walter Bersey built 77 electric cabs for the London town taxi service. These cabs’ top speed was 19 km/h, and their range was limited to 50 km with a fully charged battery. After two years of service, authorities shut down this cab service due to high maintenance costs.

Did You Know Porsche First Car Was A Electric One?

Porsche company also built an electric car in 1898. This is the world’s first-ever Porsche design. Ferdinand Porsche was one of the inventors who dreamed about the Electric Vehicle future.

    He is the founder of the Porsche automobile company. Under his leadership, Porsche company created two electric cars in 1898 and 1900. Their 1898 version is known as the  Egger-Lohner C.2 Phaeton ( P1 ). Porsche is also credited with building the world’s first functional hybrid car in 1900.

First Vehicle To Reach 100km/h

                             In the year 1899, another special event happened in automobile history.  For the first time in the world, a car was travel more than 100 km/h. This vehicle is called “La Jamais Contente.” The uniqueness of this car is it was powered by electricity.

Golden Era In Electric Vehicles

 At the beginning of 1900, electric power became the next generation primary energy source in the world. American inventors became the pioneers of electricity. Thomas Alva Edison and many other inventors did experiments and developments with electric energy. In 1900, 38% of cars were powered by electricity in America.  Also, 90% of New York taxi cabs were electric.

                                       At that time, electric cars got more popularity among the rich society than other vehicles. Especially first-class people loved electric car features. Because electric cars are free of noise, gasoline smell, and vibrations, also, they were easier to operate.

 Early gasoline cars required a manual cranked for the startup, and also, gear changing wasn’t an easy task like today’s vehicles. Because of these reasons, electric cars became more popular in city areas. But these features came with a big price tag. Only a limited number of people in society were able to afford these price tags.

                                             In 1910 American chemist Fritchle built an electric car with twenty-eight cells rechargeable battery pack. He was able to travel  100 miles by this car without recharging batteries. After two years, he sold his electric car models for around 2000$ to 4000$.

   Electric Vehicles Real Enemy Ford Model T

During this time, many motor companies introduced their electric and gasoline car models to the market. But Only one American inventor and a businessman were able to build the successful mass-production car. He is Henry Ford, and this man was able to revolutionize the automobile industry and the entire world industrial process. Ford’s assembling line concept is still using for getting high productivity in mass productions. With this concept, Ford motor company built the Model T affordable car for the U.S.’s middle-class.  Without any advertisement, this car got more attention than any other vehicle in history.

                              In 1912 Cadillac created their Touring Edition car with an electric start feature. Ford company included this feature in their Model T in 1919. Around 1920, U.S. and European nations built better roads for connecting cities. Especially the U.S. started to make the interstate highway system. The road quality improvements, better vehicle suspension systems, and electric start feature also got electric car users’ attention to the gasoline cars.

   By 1925, Ford sold more cars than all the other manufactures combined. These whole cars were gasoline cars. With the assembly line concept, Ford motor company able to reduced their Model T price 840$ to 240$. At that time, electric roadster cost $1750. In this way, the Model T created a massive impact on the Electric car market.

                            Henry Ford also dreamed about an electric car. Mr.Ford and Mr.Thomas Edison had been worked together to build a practical electric car. But unfortunately, this project vanished with 1.4$ million investment.  Rumors say a fire destroyed Edison’s electric car prototype, and some others say Oil money got the Ford company and Mr.Ford.

  By 1935, electric cars could no longer compete with gasoline cars and the oil industry. All the electric vehicles vanished in 1935 from roads.

Several Other Reasons Also Caused To Electric Vehicles Fail

• After Texas Oil crude discovery, reduced price of gasoline
• First, WW1 and WW2 needed more powerful vehicles.
• In the early days, electric cars were heavier than regular gasoline cars.
• Electric batteries weren’t enough for high performance
• High maintenance cost
• Petroleum stations pop-ups all around the world.
• Gasoline cars became cheaper

                          But nowadays, Tesla and many other companies revolutionized the automobile market with their newest electric models. China and many other countries already decided to stop importing or producing fully gasoline cars in the next few decades.