The Rise and Fall of Early Electric Vehicles
More than a century before Tesla revolutionized the automotive industry with its electric cars, America had already experienced a significant presence of battery-powered vehicles on its roads. In 1897, New York City saw electric cabs plying its streets, with electric vehicles constituting about a third of the city’s taxis at one point. The Baker Electric Coupe and the Riker Electric Roadster were among the popular models that rumbled down American streets.
However, these early adopters of electric vehicles began to lose ground to a new class of cars that emerged in the early 20th century. The Ford Model T, with its affordability and the ease of refueling using the increasingly available oil-based fuels, became a game-changer. The 1920s saw the oil industry boom, backed by federal tax incentives, which further propelled the growth of gasoline-powered cars.
This history has largely been forgotten, and most of the early electric cars have disappeared from public view. Today, only a few specimens remain in museums and private collections. Jay Leno, a car enthusiast, owns a fully restored Baker Electric, which he recently drove through the streets of Burbank, California, eliciting smiles and amazement from onlookers. The Baker Electric, with its wooden frame and 36-inch rubber wheels, resembles a stagecoach but is powered by electric motors and batteries, much like modern electric vehicles like the Tesla Model Y or Cadillac Lyriq.
The revival of interest in electric vehicles brings this forgotten history to the forefront. The United States appears to be at a crossroads, with the potential to either embrace or hinder the growth of electric vehicles. The Trump administration and Republicans in Congress have been working to undermine the growth of electric vehicles by proposing a new tax on them and shifting federal policy in favor of oil and gasoline. This move is seen as a significant setback for the electric vehicle industry, which has been gaining momentum in recent years.
As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change and environmental sustainability, the story of early electric vehicles serves as a reminder of the industry’s long history and the challenges it has faced in the past. The lessons learned from the past can inform the present and future of the electric vehicle industry, as it continues to evolve and grow.
