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Current automotive magazines, auto shows, and dealer show rooms applaud the technology of the electric car. Many people think this is a new technological innovation as a result of high gasoline prices and the energy crisis. Actually, electricity was among the preferred methods of auto propulsion beginning at the birth of the auto industry in the early 1900’s. I know you are gasping. Electric cars provided a level of comfort and ease of operation that was not possible in a gasoline powered auto. There were three modes of engines when cars came to market about 1907 – the engines were: steam, gasoline and electric. Electric cars outsold the other two methods as they targeted woman drivers who had trouble crank starting a vehicle. Also, electric cars did not have the negative of the smell of gasoline fumes. Steam engines although efficient created more heat than was comfortable during summer driving in the early cars. The decision to focus on gas powered engines was the result of low gas prices and Henry Ford’s decision to focus on that method. Just imagine the state of our industry now if electric engines had over a hundred years of experience and advances. If engineers had been working on electric cars since the 1920’s our automotive dependency on gasoline would look different.
A 1922 Detroit Electric Car Company Vehicle
The Detroit Electric Car Company made over 12,000 electric cars between 1907-1939. Production was ended in 1942 at the start of WWII. The cost of a vehicle in 1922 was about $300, which equals $38,000 currently. The top speed was 25 mph with a range of 100 miles before it needed a recharge. The interior was luxurious with grey velvet seats and walls with a crystal vase accessory for flowers. Since the steering wheel had not been invented yet it was steered by a lever which h turned the car left or right. To see an electric car from the early days of the automotive business go to The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI.
The electric car had a top speed of 25 MPH and a range of 100 miles
Thomas Edison created an electric car but was more involved in other electrical projects. He consulted with several engineers /manufacturers. Since his friend, Henry Ford, favored the gasoline engine Mr. Edison agreed it was the best mode for a car.
Thomas Edison invented of the electric light bulb and also dabbled in electric cars
Presently we see every automotive manufacturer either having a hybrid car (a combination between electric and gasoline motor) or working to get one to the public. The top driving range of our modern vehicles is about 100 miles until a recharge is needed. This is the same as in 1922. Certainly now we want to go faster than 25 MPH. This is the issue for the industry to solve giving the public a hybrid car with all the pickup and mileage ability we know. The Nissan LEAF is the first all electric, zero emissions vehicle to be produced for the mass market. The country awaits the much taunted GM Chevy Volt. Servicing costs are predicted lower for the electric car as there are fewer parts.
Chevy Volt a hybrid vehicle combining electricity and gasoline for propulsion
Electric cars store electrical energy in a battery and have great value in the transportation system. They do take longer to recharge than a classic fuel stop at a gas station. A new system of battery packs where a vehicle’s empty battery is replaced for a charged one may be the new concept in “gas stations” or energy stations. IT would be simple lift and slide in replacement and would not take longer to switch batteries than filling up a gasoline car.
Margery Krevsky is the author of Sirens of Chrome: the enduring allure of auto show models, Momentum Publishing, available at amazon.com / www.sirensofchrome.com
For more information on other auto heritage sites, visit www.motorcities.org
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