Electric Vehicles: Past and Present
Cary de Wit
In the early 1830s a Scotsman sparked a new industry with the invention of the first electric vehicle using non rechargeable batteries. Before long, electric vehicles – EVs – were being built around the world.
In 1899 and 1900, thanks to advancements in battery technology, EVs outsold all other alternatives. In 1899 an EV set a world speed record of 108 km/h.
In those early years the consumer could choose cars powered by petrol, steam or electricity. At that time, the road network was still very limited, and EVs with a range under 30km were the car of choice. They had the benefits of no noise, exhaust, gear changes or hand cranking to name a few. Steam cars had some of the benefits of EVs such as no gears, but could take almost an hour to warm up on a cold morning!
From around 1910 onwards the EV started to lose ground. People wanted to drive longer distances, oil was cheaper, and petrol vehicles were cheaper, had better engines, and no longer needed hand cranking. Oil was very cheap and electricity was expensive. There was no conformity between DC and AC power when recharging, while many homes at the time still had no electricity. The EV industry tried to improve range and lower the price to compete but it was too late: electric and steam had lost out to the internal combustion engine.
After decades of EVs being so rarely seen, are we likely to see them return to their former prominence?
The answer is yes. EVs today have the same advantages of EVs 100 years ago. However the operating structure surrounding the technology has been improved, electric technology reinvented and costs cut.
This leaves the EV in a much better position today. Compare petrol and electricity prices now with those 100 years ago. Prices have flip flopped. The petrol that was cheap and plentiful at the dawn of the 20th century has become expensive.
Cities have become larger, but many city commuters travel distances well within the range of EVs. An early advantage of petrol cars was their lighter weight. But today, road building has improved and even the heaviest EVs are no longer an issue.
EVs can make a substantial environmental contribution through decreased pollution, and elimination of need for fossil fuels which contribute to global warming.
As governments are put under pressure to protect the environment, EVs will earn a greater place in our society. Today there are only a handful of EV manufacturers but the EV is making a comeback. In the short term we should see the trickle of EV technology come into play.
