A History of Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles comprised the majority of cars on American roads at the turn of the century. With over 300 independent car manufacturers in the United States by 1910, the market was varied and diverse. Competing with steam powered and internal combustion vehicles, electric vehicles with nickel-iron batteries were rechargeable and emitted no fumes. Easier to start than using a hand-crank, electric vehicles were preferred by urban and female consumers. This video dives into popular electric vehicles by Baker and R&L from 1900-1920. This video also addresses the extreme environmental impact posed by lithium ion batteries for the electric vehicles of today.

Sources:

Institute for Industry Research, The Environmental Impact of Lithium Batteries, https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/renewable/the-environmental-impact-of-lithium-batteries/

Brett Berk, "Forgotten Automakers: Baker Electric Motor Vehicle Company", Car and Driver (2018) https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a21951241/the-orphan-chronicles-baker-electric-motor-vehicle-company-feature/

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