As with the history of any one invention, it’s not easy to illuminate a straight line from the initial inventor to the current invention. The same is true for the electric car. In the early 1800s, multiple inventors were working to make batteries increasingly efficient. As a result, automobile innovators saw the benefits of a car that ran on electricity, reducing or eliminating the need for crude oil.
From 1825 to 1835, a series of breakthroughs from innovators in various countries (France, Hungary, the Netherlands, England, and the US) continued improving battery power, leading to the first electric vehicle models.
These first electric car models were considered crude and small-scale but also proved it could be done. This inspired auto aficionados to keep trying. By the end of the 1800s, electric cars moved beyond the “crude” category, and small-scale versions were taking to the roads.
Here in the United States, we credit the first successful electric car model to William Morrison, a chemist living in Des Moines, Iowa. That model seated six could move at a modest speed of about 14 mph. While this was certainly slower than other non-electric cars at the time, it inspired electric motor enthusiasts and innovations continued from that moment forward.
Again, we think of eclectic cars as a more contemporary invention but that’s not true at all. The advantages of an electric vehicle, including less need for expensive fuel, made electric cars highly desirable.
The US DOE states that by the year 1900, nearly one-third of all cars on the road were electric, including Taxi fleets in New York City. This is because:
Horses were still the primary mode of transportation in the 1900s, integrated into multiple aspects of human life, from farming and shipping to private daily transport.
More prosperous members of society quickly migrated to automobiles. However, at that time, electric autos were the most popular versions. Steam was the go-to power source for large engines (including trains) but wasn’t practical for automobiles. Among other things, steam-powered engines require a longer startup time (as much as 45 minutes to an hour), which means you can’t be spontaneous with your travel planning.
Internal combustion engines (diesel and gasoline-powered engines) came on the market around the same time as electric vehicles, but they had their share of faults. For one thing, gasoline-powered engines were challenging to drive.
People were more attracted to the quieter, cleaner, and easier electric car option. So electric cars were the most popular option in urban settings, particularly when women started to get the driving bug.
During the first few decades of the 20th century, the public preferred electric car options but was also interested in speed and power. This led auto manufacturers like Ferdinand Porsche to experiment with hybrid options that used a combination of fuel and electricity.
Other famous investors, like Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, worked to improve the electric car engine. However, as most auto enthusiasts know, Ford also perfected streamlined automation and came up with his affordable Model T in 1908. By 1912, the cost of an electric vs. gasoline car turned the tide of customer demand.
Unlike electric roadsters, which sold for about $1750 at that time - the equivalent of nearly $60,000 back then - the mass-produced Model T sold for $650, which was closer to $20,000. So, it’s no wonder that the average middle- and lower-middle class quickly migrated from dreams of an electric car to the reality of owning a gas-powered Model T. From that point on, gas-powered automobiles were the norm, and electric vehicle innovation took a back seat.
It’s also important to note that one of the significant downfalls of gas cars - the hand-crank - became a non-issue due to Charles Kettering’s invention of the electric starter. The combination of easy starts and affordability derailed the electric car’s forward momentum. The DOE also reminds us that other factors made gas-powered cars more attractive, including the discovery of crude oil in Texas, which immediately dropped the price of fuel, increasingly connected roadways, and the availability of fueling stations along major highways and public roads.
The abundance of cheap gasoline continued to promote gas-powered engines, keeping electric engine technology in the background. That all started to change in the late 1960s and 70s when fuel shortages and rising gas prices made electric options attractive again. Combine that with our increasing awareness of fuel emission's effects on air and water quality, along with climate change, and both money- and eco-conscious citizens became newly inspired by the potential of electric vehicles.
By the late 1970s, automakers small and large - as well as NASA - created electric vehicle prototypes. Unfortunately, a series of factors kept any of them from ever taking off. First and foremost, the pushback from the large auto manufacturers who were not interested in shifting from their highly profitable endeavors. Also, drivers were used to a certain amount of speed, power, and distance available from their gas-powered cars, and electric cars simply couldn’t compete. The lack of recharging stations compounded this.
That lack became a conundrum because charging stations wouldn’t be profitable until there were enough electric cars on the roads, and drivers didn’t feel safe in vehicles that might run out of charge on anything other than a quick trip. In some ways, this created a holding pattern, especially in middle- and lower-income households, since EVs are more expensive than their counterparts.
Even so, continued focus on the environmental benefits of electric vehicles furthered public interest. Experts disagree about which event tipped the public’s interest. Most of us are aware that the introduction of the Toyota Prius in the late 90s drew widespread public interest, including the interest of celebrities who helped to elevate the status symbol of EVs. We should also note that Honda had already brought their hybrid Insight into mass production, but the Prius captured the mainstream public interest.
Then, in 2006, the public was introduced to Tesla, a then-small startup that announced it was designing luxury electric cars that could travel distances of 200 miles or more. In addition to receiving a $465 million loan from the US Government, Tesla’s announcement spurned other automakers to take the electric car market seriously, launching the wide range of electric vehicle options we have today.
Whether you own a gas-powered or electric vehicle, J&T Towing is here for all of your roadside assistance needs. Are you stranded at the side of the road because you ran out of charge? Or are you pulled over after being involved in an accident? Either way, we’re here for you. Contact us at (707) 356-4613 any time of the day or night.
