Did you know that electric vehicles have an incredible 200-year history?

Some things in the world may seem natural, as if they have always existed. They are so integrated into our daily lives that it is almost impossible to imagine a time without them. But, perhaps surprisingly, a lot of these things we’re used to are actually quite young. Some are not even 15-20 years old yet.

But on the other side of that scale are things that have been around for centuries, even though they seem too modern. Among them are electric cars. These vehicles, which are introduced as the vehicles of the future today, actually have a history of almost 200 years and are only becoming popular again today.

When was the first electric car produced?

The first automobile that could be called an “electric car” was produced in 1828. Hungarian physicist and Benedictine priest Ányos Jedlik, who developed one of the first electric motors, developed a small model car based on this invention.

Also during this period, Scottish inventor Robert Anderson produced an electric wagon that he could drive. However, for various reasons, it took a few more decades to start the production of practical electric vehicles.

Gustave Trouvé and his electric vehicle

In April 1881, an engineer named Gustave Trouvé made history when he took to the streets of Paris with his latest invention. Trouvé was driving the world’s first human-carrying electric vehicle with its own power source. It was powered by a Siemens electric motor attached to a tricycle, and was powered by a relatively newly developed but history-changing device: a rechargeable battery. In ten years there has been a complete explosion of these new vehicles. Electric cars were being produced and developed in the UK, France, Germany, and the USA when we arrived in 1891.

The first electric car in the US came from Des Moines, Iowa, and like almost everything produced in America, it was larger than its European counterparts. It had six seats and could reach a top speed of 22.5 kilometers per hour. Although this tool is not very sophisticated, it has helped attract the attention of other companies in the country and grow the industry.

Fritchle Electric Automobile and its manufacturer Oliver Fritchle

Fritchle Electric Automobile, which was designed entirely in Denver in the early 1900s and has a 28-cell, 180-270 kilogram battery pack that can travel 160 kilometers on a single charge, was built by its manufacturer Oliver Fritchle, with a length of 2,100 kilometers from Lincoln, Nebraska, to New York City. He proved his strength against his opponents by completing the journey.

The failed partnership of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison

Also, not only some random inventors were producing these cars. Even Henry Ford and Thomas Edison joined the trend and announced a partnership to design a cheaper electric car. However, this attempt later failed.

In the 1900s, a third of new cars in the US were electric. These vehicles were selling more than any other option in existence, and the industry was far more valuable. Today, electric vehicles only have one-twentieth share.

Why did electric cars disappear?

There are several different reasons for the disappearance of electric cars over time. Oddly enough, their ease of use made them seem more “feminine” by people of the past, creating the perception that while they were suitable for women visiting their neighbors, they were not befitting for strong men.

However, perhaps the most important problem was the power problem and the inability to see the future. Engineers and drivers have found that liquid fuels release more energy in the same mass than lead-acid batteries. Also, most people outside of the cities would not be able to charge their cars easily, and if you wanted to go on a long journey with your car, there was a possibility that you might find yourself in a place where there is no electricity.

Also, the discovery of oil in Texas in the USA has not been good news for electric cars.