Thursday, July 31, 2008

The first electric cars...

I apologize for not posting yesterday. A fierce thunderstorm knocked out our Internet - I'm posting from the local library today...

With all the interest these days in electric cars, I found it fascinating to learn that our forefathers had already created them over a century ago! Apparently because fancy ladies didn't appreciate getting their dresses dirty and smelly. ;-)

1904 Baker (car on left)
Model: Electric
Body Style: Stanhope
Chassis & Body by: The Baker Motor Vehicle Company of Cleveland, Ohio
Motor: 20 Volt Elwell-Parker
"This car has a top speed of 17 miles per hour and will travel 40 miles on one charge of the battery system."

1914 Baker
Model: WB
Body Style: Roadster
Chassis & Body by: The Baker Motor Vehicle Company of Cleveland, Ohio
Motor: 48 Volt General Electric 1.75 hp

Here you can see the battery inside the 1904 model...

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