By Curtis D. Anderson, Judy Anderson
199 pages - published by McFarland & Company (November 1, 2004)
This book describes and illustrates the history of electric and hybrid cars. It contains some delightful quotable treasures, such as how electric cars were welcomed in the early years of the horseless carriage as a fine solution to the 'environmental' problems in those days, i.e. the manure left behind by horses.
We are talking about the years before 1900, when electric cars held the speed records and outnumbered gasoline cars. The book gives descriptions of battery charging stations in France and London in 1895, and of electric cabs starting in New York in 1896. It quotes an article in Scientific American in 1899 saying that "during the recent snowstorms [the electric cabs] ran under conditions which discouraged even horse [drawn] cabs".The book tells some wonderful stories, such as about a Columbus agent who gave a test drive for a customer, taking him out of the city to farms, where they ran over stubble fields and tall grass up to the axle, to return to the city and climb a steep hill, clocking up a total of seventy miles on the same charge that day. By 1913, electric cars could travel up to 80 miles on a single charge.
The book tells how sellers touted the electric car's easy operation and maintenance, pointing out that electric cars were "safe, silent and free from offensive odors, smoke and grease". And how one electric car manufacturer praised the electric motor as "clean, silent, free from vibrations, thoroughly reliable, easy of control, and produces no dirt or odor".
This is a wonderful book, if only to keep in your bookcase for an occasion to show your friends that electric cars are not just a recent invention.
You can buy this book at Amazon.com
Related links:Edison and a 1914 Detroit Electric, model 47
Reinventing the Wheel - by Sam Carana
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Comments: 13
Blessings ~
Your Friend,
René
I see electric cars in common use in Sun City, AZ, even though they're golf carts without any amenities. Many people use them as their primary vehicle. Imagine if they just had a bit more comfort & safety features.
A century ago, not much was known yet about pollution of gasoline cars. As the article says, electric cars were welcomed in the early years of the horseless carriage as a fine solution to the 'environmental' problems in those days, i.e. the manure left behind by horses. Nowadays, of course, we do know enough about the harm caused by gasoline cars, as well as the cost of securing oil from abroad, yet this isn't reflected in the price of oil. A framework of feebates would be the most effective way to remedy the situation. Accordingly, I advocate fees to be imposed on fossil fuel, with proceeds funding local rebates on better ways to produce energy. Also, fees should be imposed on gasoline cars, with proceeds used to fund local rebates on zero emission vehicles.