By Institute for Energy Research ——Bio and Archives--December 14, 2012
Global Warming-Energy-Environment | CFP Comments | Reader Friendly | Subscribe | Email Us
Electric vehicles were among the earliest automobiles, and before the preeminence of light, powerful internal combustion engines, electric automobiles held many vehicle land speed and distance records in the early 1900s. They were produced by Baker Electric,Columbia Electric, Detroit Electric, and others, and at one point in history out-sold gasoline-powered vehicles. In fact, in 1900, 28 percent of the cars on the road in the USA were electric. EVs were so popular that even President Woodrow Wilson and his secret service agents toured Washington DC in their Milburn Electrics, which covered 60-70 miles per charge.
Young man, that's the thing; you have it. Keep at it. Electric cars must keep near to power stations. The storage battery is too heavy. Steam cars won't do, either, for they require a boiler and fire. Your car is self-contained--carries its own power plant--no fire, no boiler, no smoke and no steam. You have the thing. Keep at it.Eighteen years later, in what was described as "Mr. Ford's personal project," the industrialist gave Edison the opportunity to get back atop the electrical world by inventing an economical car battery for a new "Ford Electric." The experiment failed. The cost and weight of the alkaline battery could not meet the price and range requirements of a competitive (gasoline) vehicle. The burden of history continued in the 1990s when General Motors unveiled the two-seater "Impact" (EV1). Despite a mandate by the California Air Resources Board to jumpstart a market, GM ended up crushing its vehicles for scrap. Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Nissan and Toyota also ended their smaller EV experiments.
View Comments
The Institute for Energy Research (IER) is a not-for-profit organization that conducts intensive research and analysis on the functions, operations, and government regulation of global energy markets. IER maintains that freely-functioning energy markets provide the most efficient and effective solutions to today’s global energy and environmental challenges and, as such, are critical to the well-being of individuals and society.