Electric cars may not be as revolutionary as you think

Electric cars seem like a thing of the future. While they’re becoming more and more popular on our roads, they are yet to dominate over their petrol counterparts. It seems like they’re a phenomenon that’s appeared in recent years.

But what if we told you that there were electric cars on the road as early as the 1800s?

Lead-acid rechargeable batteries were invented in 1859, which allowed for the beginning of the journey towards electric vehicles. In 1881, the design of these batteries were improved and allowed them to be mass produced. This meant that there was potential there for electric vehicles to be developed and even be available to the mass public.

In the UK, Thomas Parker built the first practical electric car in 1884. He was responsible for electrifying the London Underground, and was conscious of fuel efficiency as well as the air quality in London. In 1888, the Electric Construction Corporation was formed and they dominated the British electric car market of the 1890s. They created the first electrical dogcart, and the UK became one of the first nations to have widespread development of electric vehicles. Electric powered taxis were seen on the streets of London at the end of the 19^th century, people calling them Hummingbirds for their distinct humming noise.

Old photo of an electricar outside Croxley House

The early 1900s was a booming period for electric cars – New York in 1900 had 800 electric cars on its roads out of 2,370 total. Only 400 of these were powered by gasoline, the rest running on steam. Morrison-Electricar made their first vehicle for a bakery in Britain in 1933, eventually going on to make vehicles that could be fitted for milk delivery or collecting refuse by the mid-1930s.

Unfortunately, the popularity of the electric car wasn’t to last. Henry Ford made the world’s first gasoline-powered car that was available and affordable to the mass public in 1908. Infrastructure improved and people were now able to travel further distances, but electric cars didn’t really allow for this. The gasoline-powered car slowly took over, and electric vehicle production plummeted. There was simply better technology available that allowed people to travel further and faster.

We’ve now gone almost full circle, looking for ways to power our cars without further depleting our sources and affecting our environment. The global energy crisis during the 1970s revived electric cars to some extent, the need for alternative fuel at an all-time high. However, like previously, they just couldn’t compete with the performance of petrol and diesel cars of the time. There was another attempt in the 1990s, but they were too expensive for the average consumer.

In an age where the topic of global warming is of upmost importance, the electric car is having a revival and with impact. We’re now seeing cars that can compete with petrol and diesel vehicles that are practical for the average consumer. They’re becoming more affordable and accessible, and are definitely on course to be a large market force. They may not be as revolutionary as you think, but they’re definitely on a new chapter of their concept.