A Brief History of Electric Vehicles
For years before gas-powered cars appeared on the scene, the first electric vehicles shared the road with horse-drawn and steam-powered carriages, and they grew in popularity as advances in battery technology and the growing availability of electricity made them ever more convenient to operate.
The widespread availability of cheap gas in the early twentieth century aided in pushing EVs out of the public consciousness, but various automakers continued to work on related technology over the years. The modern electric vehicle was poised to reemerge near the turn of the century, thanks to further advances in battery technology and a push to reduce vehicle emissions.
The First Electric Vehicles
Below the images is a roadmap view of the electric car's history, complete with years and a timeline.Dos Diaz, Alex
Over the last two centuries, electric vehicles have traveled a long and winding road. It's difficult to pinpoint when the history of electric vehicles began, but the basic concept appeared alongside the first electric motors.
Anyos Jedlik, a Hungarian physicist, is credited with developing some of the first practical DC motors around 1827, and by 1828, he had used one of his early electric motors to construct what could be called a model electric car.
Between 1832 and 1839, Scottish inventor Robert Anderson devised the concept of an early electric carriage. The design suffered from a major issue that would not be resolved for some time: limited battery power. Anderson's electric carriage was powered by non-rechargeable batteries, limiting its utility.
Trains built in the 1830s could transport large batteries and even receive power from electrified tracks, but smaller passenger vehicles had to wait for battery technology to catch up.
1859–1881
France took the lead in EV development in 1859. Gaston Plante invented the lead acid battery in France. Camille Alphonse Faure improved on it in 1881, and it has been tweaked and improved over the years. The introduction of the lead acid battery meant that practical electric vehicles could finally hit the road.
The lead acid battery is the same basic battery technology used in gasoline-powered vehicles today.
1890s to the early 1900s
In 1881, Gustave Trouve of France demonstrated an electric tricycle, and in 1884, Thomas Parker of England built the first production electric car that resembled the traditional horseless carriage.
Around 1901, Andrew Riker raced an electric car.
Around 1901, Andrew Riker and a friend race an electric car. Smithsonian Institution/Museum of American History
In the United States, William Morrison created an electric car in 1890 that could carry six passengers and travel at a blistering 14 MPH. Six years later, an electric vehicle manufactured by Riker Electric Vehicle Company won a horseless carriage race, possibly the first recorded automobile race in the United States.
Electric vehicles gained popularity near the end of the nineteenth century and into the beginning of the twentieth. They were quieter than early gas-powered vehicles, had a smoother ride, and were frequently regarded as easier to drive and operate.
When more efficient lead acid batteries with larger storage capacities became available in the late 1800s, a number of inventors from various countries set out to create practical electric vehicles.
Electric taxi fleets appeared in London, Paris, and New York, and even Thomas Edison tried to get in on the act in 1906 by developing alkaline batteries that were more capacious and lighter than the lead acid batteries of the time.
Electric vehicles remained popular at the turn of the twentieth century. Around the year 1900, about one-third of all vehicles on the road were electric, but their popularity began to wane as time passed. Despite advances in battery technology, the availability of cheap gasoline and a lack of electricity outside of major cities contributed to the popularity of gas-powered vehicles.
From 1906 to the early 1930s, an electric runabout was in use.
From 1906 to the early 1930s, an electric runabout was in use. The Smithsonian/National Museum of American History provided the original image.
Early electric vehicles were unable to compete with gas-powered counterparts in terms of range and speed; by 1935, automotive manufacturers had switched almost entirely to gas-powered vehicles.
However, the automotive industry never forgot about electric vehicles, and research into batteries and other related technologies continued quietly.
In contrast to early electric vehicles, which simply connected a lead acid battery to an electric motor, modern electric vehicles rely on technologies such as power MOSFETs and microcontrollers to extract ever-increasing levels of efficiency from newly developed battery technologies and electric drive train components.
While all of this background research was going on, electric vehicles began to appear in a variety of places throughout the twentieth century. When it rolled across the lunar landscape in 1971, the Lunar Roving Vehicle, also known as the moon buggy, was both an electric vehicle and the first manned vehicle to be operated on the moon. Back on Earth, Florida-based Sebring-Vanguard sold over 2,000 of its all-electric CitiCars with a range of 50 to 60 miles in the same decade.
The moon buggy was an electric vehicle as well as the first manned vehicle to land on the moon.
Other automakers had not completely abandoned EVs either. Many large automakers displayed concept electric vehicles that were never produced, culminating with GM's EV1. This all-electric vehicle was never sold to the general public, but it was made available for lease in a limited number of markets beginning in 1996.
Electric vehicles were once again on the road, and battery technology had nearly caught up.
The major automakers all saw electric vehicles on the horizon, but the consensus just before the turn of the century was that battery technology would still be insufficient to provide enough range and reliability for at least a couple decades.
1999–2001
Suddenly, in 1999 and 2001, the technologies that would eventually shake that up were developed. NCA battery technology was the first to be invented, followed quickly by MNC battery technology. Both are variations on older lithium-ion cells that will power modern electric vehicles.
These improved battery technologies created EV opportunities unlike any seen before in the world. New approaches to electric vehicles have exploded in the industry.
.jpg "A Brief History of Electric Vehicles")
2003–2014
Elon Musk founded Tesla in 2003 as a startup aimed at developing an affordable and practical electric vehicle. Tesla Roadster prototypes were revealed in 2006, and the first Roadsters were delivered to customers in 2008. The Roadster, which was powered by NCA battery technology, had a range of 244 miles, which was significantly greater than previous all-electric vehicles.
A yellow Tesla Roadster with black stripes from the beginning.
Nissan wasn't far behind, releasing the Nissan Leaf in the United States and Japan in 2010. By 2014, the United States had 23 different electric vehicle models on the market. Within the next decade, every major automaker would have at least one electric vehicle on the market.
When the US Department of Energy began investing in infrastructure, the development of electric vehicles in the US saw a significant boost. The Energy Department spent more than $115 million between 2009 and 2013 to help build a nationwide electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
This program installed over 18,000 charging stations, but the expansion of charging infrastructure continues to this day through other public and private initiatives.
Driving an EV over long distances will become more convenient as charging infrastructure expands and charging speeds increase. Hot swappable batteries, for example, could make "refueling" your electric car even faster and easier.
Instead of plugging in and waiting, you could simply take a few minutes to exchange your battery for a new one. Other energy storage technologies, such as hot swappable fuel cells, could be used, but they are so inefficient compared to modern batteries that it appears unlikely.
2018 and Later
In 2018, the number of electric vehicles on the road in the United States surpassed one million for the first time. By 2020, that figure had risen to 1.8 million. Other regions, such as Europe and China, have seen even faster growth.
Further advancements in battery and charging technology, improved charging infrastructure, and legislation aimed at reducing vehicle emissions are likely to drive those figures even higher in the coming years.
Electric vehicles have had a long and winding road over the last two centuries, but the twenty-first century appears to be where they will finally triumph.
Around 1901, Andrew Riker and a friend race an electric car. Smithsonian Institution/Museum of American History
In the United States, William Morrison created an electric car in 1890 that could carry six passengers and travel at a blistering 14 MPH. Six years later, an electric vehicle manufactured by Riker Electric Vehicle Company won a horseless carriage race, possibly the first recorded automobile race in the United States.
Electric vehicles gained popularity near the end of the nineteenth century and into the beginning of the twentieth. They were quieter than early gas-powered vehicles, had a smoother ride, and were frequently regarded as easier to drive and operate.
When more efficient lead acid batteries with larger storage capacities became available in the late 1800s, a number of inventors from various countries set out to create practical electric vehicles.
Electric taxi fleets appeared in London, Paris, and New York, and even Thomas Edison tried to get in on the act in 1906 by developing alkaline batteries that were more capacious and lighter than the lead acid batteries of the time.
EVs of the Twenty-First Century
Electric vehicles remained popular at the turn of the twentieth century. Around the year 1900, about one-third of all vehicles on the road were electric, but their popularity began to wane as time passed. Despite advances in battery technology, the availability of cheap gasoline and a lack of electricity outside of major cities contributed to the popularity of gas-powered vehicles.
From 1906 to the early 1930s, an electric runabout was in use.
From 1906 to the early 1930s, an electric runabout was in use. The Smithsonian/National Museum of American History provided the original image.
Early electric vehicles were unable to compete with gas-powered counterparts in terms of range and speed; by 1935, automotive manufacturers had switched almost entirely to gas-powered vehicles.
However, the automotive industry never forgot about electric vehicles, and research into batteries and other related technologies continued quietly.
1959 Was a Watershed Year
The invention of the MOSFET (a semiconductor) at Bell Labs in 1959 is regarded as a watershed moment in the history of modern electric vehicles. This resulted in the development of power MOSFETs, microprocessors, and microcontrollers by Hitachi, all of which are essential components in modern electric vehicles.In contrast to early electric vehicles, which simply connected a lead acid battery to an electric motor, modern electric vehicles rely on technologies such as power MOSFETs and microcontrollers to extract ever-increasing levels of efficiency from newly developed battery technologies and electric drive train components.
From 1971 to 1996,
These newer battery technologies resulted in the development of lithium-ion batteries in the 1980s, which served as yet another important building block for modern electric vehicles. Whereas the first electric vehicles relied on heavy and inefficient lead acid batteries, the development of lithium-ion batteries promised a lighter-weight and more efficient alternative. NCA and NMC, the two main battery technologies used in electric vehicles today, are both lithium-ion based.While all of this background research was going on, electric vehicles began to appear in a variety of places throughout the twentieth century. When it rolled across the lunar landscape in 1971, the Lunar Roving Vehicle, also known as the moon buggy, was both an electric vehicle and the first manned vehicle to be operated on the moon. Back on Earth, Florida-based Sebring-Vanguard sold over 2,000 of its all-electric CitiCars with a range of 50 to 60 miles in the same decade.
The moon buggy was an electric vehicle as well as the first manned vehicle to land on the moon.
Other automakers had not completely abandoned EVs either. Many large automakers displayed concept electric vehicles that were never produced, culminating with GM's EV1. This all-electric vehicle was never sold to the general public, but it was made available for lease in a limited number of markets beginning in 1996.
Electric vehicles were once again on the road, and battery technology had nearly caught up.
EVs of the Present
Early experiments with modern-day EVs, such as GM's EV1 in the mid-1990s, yielded mixed results. The technology was almost there, but there were a few roadblocks in the way.The major automakers all saw electric vehicles on the horizon, but the consensus just before the turn of the century was that battery technology would still be insufficient to provide enough range and reliability for at least a couple decades.
1999–2001
Suddenly, in 1999 and 2001, the technologies that would eventually shake that up were developed. NCA battery technology was the first to be invented, followed quickly by MNC battery technology. Both are variations on older lithium-ion cells that will power modern electric vehicles.
These improved battery technologies created EV opportunities unlike any seen before in the world. New approaches to electric vehicles have exploded in the industry.
.jpg "A Brief History of Electric Vehicles")
2003–2014
Elon Musk founded Tesla in 2003 as a startup aimed at developing an affordable and practical electric vehicle. Tesla Roadster prototypes were revealed in 2006, and the first Roadsters were delivered to customers in 2008. The Roadster, which was powered by NCA battery technology, had a range of 244 miles, which was significantly greater than previous all-electric vehicles.
A yellow Tesla Roadster with black stripes from the beginning.
Wikimedia Commons/Cherubino
Following the release of Tesla electric vehicles, a number of major automakers quickly followed suit. Mitsubishi introduced the iMiEV electric vehicle in Japan in 2009, followed by other limited markets the following year, but only for lease and not for sale.Nissan wasn't far behind, releasing the Nissan Leaf in the United States and Japan in 2010. By 2014, the United States had 23 different electric vehicle models on the market. Within the next decade, every major automaker would have at least one electric vehicle on the market.
When the US Department of Energy began investing in infrastructure, the development of electric vehicles in the US saw a significant boost. The Energy Department spent more than $115 million between 2009 and 2013 to help build a nationwide electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
This program installed over 18,000 charging stations, but the expansion of charging infrastructure continues to this day through other public and private initiatives.
EVs in the Future
The history of the electric vehicle has been largely driven by battery technology, and this is likely to continue unless new technology emerges that can effectively replace them. Electric vehicles are likely to match gas-powered vehicles in terms of cost, range, and other factors as the overall cost of batteries falls and technology advances.Driving an EV over long distances will become more convenient as charging infrastructure expands and charging speeds increase. Hot swappable batteries, for example, could make "refueling" your electric car even faster and easier.
Instead of plugging in and waiting, you could simply take a few minutes to exchange your battery for a new one. Other energy storage technologies, such as hot swappable fuel cells, could be used, but they are so inefficient compared to modern batteries that it appears unlikely.
2018 and Later
In 2018, the number of electric vehicles on the road in the United States surpassed one million for the first time. By 2020, that figure had risen to 1.8 million. Other regions, such as Europe and China, have seen even faster growth.
Further advancements in battery and charging technology, improved charging infrastructure, and legislation aimed at reducing vehicle emissions are likely to drive those figures even higher in the coming years.
Electric vehicles have had a long and winding road over the last two centuries, but the twenty-first century appears to be where they will finally triumph.
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