More than a century ago, electric cars first graced our roads, and today, they’re experiencing a significant resurgence in popularity. Interestingly, many of the factors driving their current appeal mirror the reasons behind their initial success. From hybrids to plug-in models and fully electric vehicles (EVs), the demand for electric drive is projected to climb steadily. As battery technology advances and production scales up, prices are becoming more competitive, and consumers are increasingly drawn to the potential for fuel savings. Currently representing over 3% of new vehicle sales, electric vehicle sales are anticipated to surge to nearly 7% globally by 2020, according to a Navigant Research report. This growing enthusiasm for electric vehicles prompts us to delve into their past, examine their present, and explore the exciting horizons of their future. Join us on a journey through time as we uncover the captivating History Of Electric Cars.
The Dawn of Electric Mobility
Attributing the invention of the electric car to a single individual or nation is challenging. Instead, it was the culmination of various groundbreaking innovations throughout the 19th century – from advancements in battery technology to the development of the electric motor – that paved the way for the first electric vehicles to emerge.
Early in the 1800s, visionary inventors across Hungary, the Netherlands, and the United States, including a Vermont blacksmith, began experimenting with the concept of battery-powered transportation, resulting in some of the earliest iterations of electric cars on a small scale. While Robert Anderson, a British inventor, engineered a rudimentary electric carriage around the same period, it was during the latter half of the 19th century that French and English inventors truly pioneered practical electric cars.
In the United States, the first successful electric car made its debut around 1890, thanks to William Morrison, a chemist residing in Des Moines, Iowa. His six-passenger vehicle, capable of reaching a top speed of 14 miles per hour, was essentially an electrified wagon. Nevertheless, it played a crucial role in igniting widespread interest in electric vehicles.
Over the subsequent years, electric vehicles from various pioneering automakers began to appear across the American landscape. New York City even boasted a fleet of over 60 electric taxis, demonstrating the practical application of this nascent technology. By 1900, electric cars had reached their zenith, accounting for approximately one-third of all vehicles navigating the roads. Their strong sales momentum continued throughout the following decade, solidifying their place in early automotive history.
The Initial Ascent and Decline of Electric Cars
To fully appreciate the popularity of electric vehicles around the turn of the 20th century, it’s essential to consider the broader context of personal transportation development and the competing technologies of the era. At the dawn of the 20th century, the horse remained the primary mode of transport. However, as prosperity grew in America, people increasingly turned to the newly invented motor vehicle – available in steam, gasoline, or electric variants – for personal mobility.
Steam power was a well-established and reliable energy source, proven in factories and trains. Indeed, some of the earliest self-propelled vehicles in the late 1700s utilized steam. Yet, steam technology was slow to gain traction in personal cars until the 1870s. A significant drawback of steam vehicles was their impracticality for personal use. They demanded lengthy startup times, sometimes as long as 45 minutes in cold weather, and required frequent water refills, limiting their driving range.
Concurrent with the rise of electric vehicles, gasoline-powered cars emerged onto the market, fueled by advancements in internal combustion engine technology during the 19th century. While gasoline cars showed promise, they were not without their limitations. Operating them required considerable physical effort – gear changes were cumbersome, and starting the engine involved a hand crank, making them challenging for some drivers. They were also notoriously noisy, and their exhaust fumes were unpleasant and polluting.
Electric cars presented a stark contrast, free from the issues associated with steam and early gasoline vehicles. They were remarkably quiet, exceptionally easy to operate, and produced no tailpipe emissions, unlike their contemporaries. Electric cars rapidly gained favor among urban populations, especially women, who appreciated their clean and user-friendly nature. They were ideally suited for short trips within city limits. Furthermore, the poor road conditions prevalent outside urban centers limited the practicality of any type of car for long-distance travel. As electricity access expanded into more homes during the 1910s, charging electric cars became more convenient, further enhancing their appeal across diverse segments of society, even attracting the attention of “best known and prominent makers of gasoline cars,” as noted in a 1911 New York Times article.
Numerous innovators of the time recognized the strong demand for electric vehicles and actively explored ways to enhance the technology. Notably, Ferdinand Porsche, the founder of the renowned sports car company, developed an electric car called the P1 in 1898. Around the same time, he also created the world’s first hybrid electric car – a vehicle powered by both electricity and a gasoline engine, showcasing early visionary thinking in automotive propulsion. Thomas Edison, one of history’s most prolific inventors, believed electric vehicles were the superior technology and dedicated himself to developing improved electric vehicle batteries. Even Henry Ford, a friend of Edison, collaborated with him to explore options for a low-cost electric car in 1914, according to Wired reports.
However, it was Henry Ford’s revolutionary mass-produced Model T that ultimately dealt a significant blow to the electric car’s early dominance. Introduced in 1908, the Model T made gasoline-powered cars widely accessible and affordable to the masses. By 1912, the price of a gasoline car had plummeted to just $650, while an electric roadster still commanded a price of $1,750. That same year, Charles Kettering introduced the electric starter, eliminating the inconvenient hand crank and further boosting the appeal and sales of gasoline-powered vehicles.
Other factors also contributed to the decline of electric vehicles. By the 1920s, the United States had developed a more extensive network of roads connecting cities, and Americans increasingly desired to travel and explore beyond urban limits. The discovery of vast crude oil reserves in Texas made gasoline cheap and readily available, even in rural areas, and gas stations began to proliferate across the country. In stark contrast, electricity access remained limited for many Americans outside of cities during this period. Consequently, electric vehicles largely faded from prominence by 1935.
Gas Shortages Ignite Renewed Electric Vehicle Interest
For roughly three decades, electric vehicles entered a period of relative obscurity, experiencing minimal technological progress. The combination of inexpensive, abundant gasoline and continuous improvements in internal combustion engine technology suppressed demand for alternative fuel vehicles.
However, the late 1960s and early 1970s witnessed a shift. Surging oil prices and gasoline shortages, culminating in the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo, triggered growing concern about America’s dependence on foreign oil and spurred interest in domestically sourced fuels. The U.S. Congress responded by passing the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1976, authorizing the Department of Energy to support research and development in electric and hybrid vehicle technologies.
Around this time, numerous automakers, both major and smaller players, began exploring alternative fuel vehicle options, including electric cars. For instance, General Motors developed a prototype urban electric car, showcasing it at the Environmental Protection Agency’s First Symposium on Low Pollution Power Systems Development in 1973. American Motors Corporation produced electric delivery jeeps, which the United States Postal Service tested in a 1975 pilot program. Even NASA contributed to raising the profile of electric vehicles when its electric Lunar rover became the first manned vehicle to traverse the moon in 1971.
Despite these developments, electric vehicles of the 1970s still faced significant limitations compared to gasoline-powered cars. Their performance was restricted, typically topping out at speeds around 45 miles per hour, and their driving range was generally limited to about 40 miles before requiring recharging.
Environmental Concerns Propel Electric Vehicles Forward
Moving forward to the 1990s, the initial surge of interest in electric vehicles sparked by the gas crises of the 1970s had largely subsided. However, new federal and state regulations began to reshape the landscape. The passage of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendment and the 1992 Energy Policy Act, coupled with stricter transportation emissions standards enacted by the California Air Resources Board, contributed to a resurgence of interest in electric vehicles in the United States.
During this era, automakers started adapting some of their existing popular vehicle models into electric versions. This approach resulted in electric vehicles achieving performance levels much closer to those of gasoline-powered cars, with many offering a driving range of around 60 miles.
One of the most prominent electric cars of this period was GM’s EV1, a vehicle famously featured in the 2006 documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? Unlike simply electrifying an existing model, GM designed and engineered the EV1 from the ground up as a dedicated electric vehicle. Boasting a range of 80 miles and an impressive 0-to-50 mph acceleration in just seven seconds, the EV1 quickly garnered a devoted following. However, due to high production costs, the EV1 never achieved commercial viability, and GM discontinued the program in 2001.
With a thriving economy, a growing middle class, and low gasoline prices in the late 1990s, fuel efficiency was not a primary concern for many consumers. While public attention to electric vehicles was limited, behind the scenes, scientists and engineers, supported by the Department of Energy, continued to work on improving electric vehicle technology, particularly battery systems.
A New Era for Electric Cars
While the intermittent progress of the electric vehicle industry in the latter half of the 20th century demonstrated the technology’s potential, the true renaissance of the electric car truly began around the start of the 21st century. Depending on perspective, either of two key events ignited the widespread interest in electric vehicles we witness today.
The first pivotal moment often cited is the introduction of the Toyota Prius. Launched in Japan in 1997 and globally in 2000, the Prius became the world’s first mass-produced hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). Its instant success, particularly among celebrities, significantly elevated the profile of hybrid technology. Toyota’s realization of the Prius relied on nickel-metal hydride batteries, a technology supported by research from the Department of Energy. Since its debut, rising gasoline prices and increasing concerns about carbon emissions have propelled the Prius to become the best-selling hybrid vehicle worldwide for over a decade.
(Historical note: Before the Prius reached the U.S. market, Honda introduced the Insight hybrid in 1999, making it the first hybrid sold in the U.S. since the early 1900s, marking a subtle but important milestone.)
The second transformative event was the 2006 announcement by Tesla Motors, a small Silicon Valley startup, that it would produce a luxury electric sports car capable of traveling over 200 miles on a single charge. In 2010, Tesla received a $465 million loan from the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office – a loan Tesla repaid a full nine years ahead of schedule – to establish a manufacturing facility in California. In the relatively short time since, Tesla has garnered widespread acclaim for its vehicles and has become the largest auto industry employer in California, demonstrating the economic potential of EV manufacturing.
Tesla’s announcement and subsequent success spurred many established automakers to accelerate their own electric vehicle development programs. In late 2010, the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan LEAF were launched in the U.S. market. The Volt, the first commercially available plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), features a gasoline engine to supplement its electric drive once the battery is depleted. This design allows drivers to utilize electric power for most commutes while retaining the extended range of gasoline for longer journeys. In contrast, the LEAF is an all-electric vehicle (EV), relying solely on an electric motor for propulsion.
Over the following years, other automakers progressively introduced electric vehicles in the U.S. market. However, consumers still faced a familiar challenge from the early days of EVs: the availability of convenient charging infrastructure. Through the Recovery Act, the Department of Energy invested over $115 million to support the development of a nationwide charging infrastructure, resulting in the installation of over 18,000 residential, commercial, and public chargers across the country. Automakers and private businesses also contributed by establishing their own charging stations at strategic locations across the U.S. Today, the nation boasts over 8,000 public electric vehicle charging locations with more than 20,000 charging outlets, significantly improving charging accessibility.
Simultaneously, advancements in battery technology, supported by the Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office, began to reach the market, extending the driving range of plug-in electric vehicles. Building upon battery technologies used in first-generation hybrids, Department of Energy research also contributed to the development of lithium-ion battery technology utilized in the Volt. More recently, the Department’s ongoing investment in battery research and development has facilitated a 50% reduction in electric vehicle battery costs over the past four years while simultaneously enhancing battery performance in terms of power, energy density, and durability. These advancements have, in turn, lowered the overall cost of electric vehicles, making them more accessible to a wider range of consumers.
Consumers now enjoy an unprecedented selection of electric vehicle options. Currently, 23 plug-in electric models and 36 hybrid models are available in diverse sizes, from the compact two-passenger Smart ED to the midsize Ford C-Max Energi and the BMW i3 luxury SUV. As gasoline prices continue to fluctuate and the prices of electric vehicles become increasingly competitive, electric vehicles are experiencing a surge in popularity. Currently, over 234,000 plug-in electric vehicles and 3.3 million hybrids are on the road in the U.S., marking a significant shift in personal transportation.
The Trajectory of Electric Cars
Predicting the precise future of electric vehicles remains challenging, but their potential to contribute to a more sustainable future is undeniable. If all light-duty vehicles in the United States were replaced with hybrids or plug-in electric vehicles utilizing current technology, we could reduce our dependence on foreign oil by 30-60% while simultaneously decreasing carbon emissions from the transportation sector by as much as 20%.
To accelerate progress towards these emissions reduction goals, President Obama launched the EV Everywhere Grand Challenge in 2012. This Department of Energy initiative unites leading American scientists, engineers, and businesses to make plug-in electric vehicles as affordable as today’s gasoline-powered vehicles by 2022. On the battery technology front, the Department’s Joint Center for Energy Storage Research at Argonne National Laboratory is focused on overcoming the major scientific and technical obstacles hindering large-scale battery improvements.
Furthermore, the Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) is championing groundbreaking technologies that could fundamentally transform our perception of electric vehicles. ARPA-E’s investments range from novel battery chemistries that could dramatically extend driving range on a single charge to cost-effective alternatives to critical materials used in electric motors. These projects hold the potential to revolutionize electric vehicle technology.
Ultimately, the future path of electric vehicles will unfold over time. However, their journey so far, from early invention to modern resurgence, underscores their enduring appeal and transformative potential in the world of transportation.
