The 180 Year Twisted History of the Electric Car

The history of electric cars is rich, stretching back over 180 years. While many people associate electric vehicles (EVs) with modern-day innovations, their origins date to the 19th century. Here’s an overview of the key phases in the development of electric cars:

Early Inventions (1828–1890s)

• First Electric Motor (1828–1830s): In 1828, Ányos Jedlik, a Hungarian engineer, created a small-scale electric motor that powered a simple vehicle model. Around the same time, other inventors like Thomas Davenport and Robert Anderson were experimenting with electric-powered vehicles.
• First Full-Scale Electric Car (1830s): Robert Anderson of Scotland developed the first crude electric carriage between 1832 and 1839, powered by non-rechargeable batteries.
• Rechargeable Batteries (1859): The invention of the lead-acid battery by Gaston Planté in 1859 and its improvement by Camille Faure in the 1880s made electric vehicles more viable by enabling the storage of electricity for repeated use.
  

Golden Age of Electric Cars (1890–1920s)

• Early Commercial Electric Vehicles (1890s): By the 1890s, electric cars were becoming commercially available, especially in the U.S. William Morrison of Iowa built a six-passenger electric car in 1891, which had a range of around 50 miles on a single charge. This was one of the first practical electric vehicles.
• Rise in Popularity (1900s): Electric cars gained substantial popularity, especially in cities like New York and London. They were quiet, easy to drive, and did not emit the smoke or smell that plagued early gasoline vehicles. By 1900, EVs made up about one-third of all cars on the road in the U.S.
• Luxury Electric Vehicles (1900s–1910s): Companies like Baker Electric, Detroit Electric, and Columbia Electric produced luxurious electric cars catering to affluent customers. They were especially popular with women, who appreciated their ease of use.

The Decline (1920–1950s)

• Rise of Gasoline Cars: Several factors led to the decline of electric vehicles. Henry Ford’s introduction of the assembly line in 1913 made gasoline-powered cars like the Ford Model T much cheaper to produce, which made them more affordable for the average consumer.
• Improved Infrastructure: As roads improved and gasoline became cheaper and more widely available, the limitations of electric cars, particularly their limited range and slower speeds, became more apparent. Gasoline cars could travel longer distances and be refueled quickly.
• World War I and II: These wars shifted industrial focus to gasoline and diesel vehicles, further sidelining electric technology.

The Dormant Years (1950s–1980s)

• Limited Interest and Development: After World War II, electric vehicles were largely forgotten. There were some minor experiments, like the Henney Kilowatt in the 1950s and small-scale electric vehicle production in Europe and the U.S., but these models never gained widespread appeal due to their limited range and high cost.
• Environmental Concerns (1970s): The 1970s oil crises sparked renewed interest in alternatives to gasoline vehicles, including electric cars. This era saw the development of prototype vehicles by companies like Sebring-Vanguard (producing the CitiCar) and General Motors (with its Electrovair project), but technological limitations prevented mass adoption.

The Electric Car Renaissance (1990s–2000s)

• California’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate (1990): California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) introduced policies requiring automakers to produce a certain percentage of zero-emission vehicles to help reduce pollution. This led to the development of cars like GM’s EV1 (1996), which was one of the first mass-produced electric cars in modern history. However, it was ultimately discontinued in 2002, and most EV1s were recalled and destroyed, sparking controversy.
• Toyota Prius (1997): Although not fully electric, the Toyota Prius, a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), introduced in 1997, popularized the idea of using electric power to reduce gasoline consumption. Its success played a role in bringing electrified transportation back into mainstream consciousness.
  

Modern Electric Cars (2010s–Present)

• Tesla and the Resurgence (2000s–2010s): Tesla, founded in 2003 by engineers including Elon Musk, has been a major driver of the electric car revolution. Tesla’s Roadster (2008) was the first highway-legal all-electric car to use lithium-ion battery technology, which allowed for a significantly longer range than previous EVs. Tesla’s Model S (2012) solidified its reputation with a combination of long range, high performance, and modern design.
• Mainstream Adoption (2010s): By the 2010s, almost all major automakers, including Nissan (with the Leaf), BMW (with the i3), and Chevrolet (with the Bolt), began offering electric vehicles, and charging infrastructure improved globally. Government incentives, advancements in battery technology, and growing environmental awareness fueled the shift toward electric cars.
• Battery Technology Improvements: Lithium-ion batteries have enabled modern EVs to achieve ranges exceeding 300 miles on a single charge, making electric vehicles more practical for long-distance driving. Continuous improvements in battery cost, capacity, and charging speed are accelerating the transition to electric transportation.
• Global Shift to Electrification: In the late 2010s and 2020s, governments worldwide started announcing plans to phase out internal combustion engine vehicles, with countries like Norway and the UK setting goals to ban sales of new gasoline and diesel vehicles in the 2030s. Automakers like Volkswagen, General Motors, and Ford have since committed to electrifying their lineups.

The Future of Electric Cars

The future of electric vehicles seems bright. The widespread adoption of electric cars is expected to continue growing, driven by concerns over climate change, advances in autonomous driving technology, and continued improvements in battery technology. Companies are also working on second-generation technologies like solid-state batteries, which promise even greater energy density, faster charging times, and improved safety.

THE TAKEAWAY

Although the electric car has been around for more than 100 years it is really the advances made in battery technology that has allowed the most recent revolution. The dreams of the early pioneers, entrepreneurs, and investors are finally being realized.

Sources: Gemini, ChatGPT, EV Car Answers Editors, Wikipedia, La Jamais Contente By Franz Haag – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17176252 Flocken Electrowagen, Public Domain