amphicar770

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2023-02-04/worlds-first-electric-porsche-forgotten-history-evs-melbourne/101891670

earl pottinger

Is it just me? But I like the plate with the P bisected with a lighting bolt.

Earl Colby Pottinger (BEV Lover)

whiz944

It's a good article.

A lot of people don't realize it, but EVs actually predated ICE cars. There were electric taxicabs operating in NY City in the 1890s, and earlier experimental EVs before that. Around 1900, fully 1/3rd of the cars in the U.S. were electric, 1/3rd steam, and 1/3rd ICE. But ICE got better, Henry Ford came out with the Model T, and Kettering at Cadillac invented the electric starter motor. Also lots of easily recoverable oil was found in places like PA, Oklahoma, and Texas. So by WW 1, it was pretty much over for electrics.

A 1916 Detroit Electric that I am quite familiar with still runs today - but uses much more modern lead-acid batteries. The original batteries are long gone. The motor controller is basically a miniature version of the motor controllers used in electric street cars of the day. One of the neat things about it is that it has dual controls. It can be driven from either the front or rear seat. No steering wheel. It uses a pair of tillers that fold down for steering. You can fold down one for the front seat, or the other for the rear seat. When driving from the rear seat, the front seats turn around so all the passengers can face each other!