History of Electric Vehicles
The first electric vehicle was built by Frenchman Gustave Trouvé in 1881. It
was a tricycle powered by a 0.1 hp DC motor fed by lead–acid batteries. The
whole vehicle and its driver weighed approximately 160 kg. A vehicle simi-
lar to this was built in 1883 by two British professors.11 These early realiza-
tions did not attract much attention from the public because the technology
was not mature enough to compete with horse carriages. Speeds of 15 km/h
and a range of 16 km were not exciting for potential customers. The 1864
Paris to Rouen race changed it all: the 1135 km were run in 48 h and 53 min
at an average speed of 23.3 km/h. This speed was by far superior to that pos-
sible with horse-drawn carriages. The general public became interested in
horseless carriages or automobiles, as these vehicles were now called.
The following 20 years were an era during which electric vehicles com-
peted with their gasoline counterparts. This was particularly true in
America, where there were not many paved roads outside a few cities. The
limited range of electric vehicles was not a problem. However, in Europe, the
rapidly increasing number of paved roads called for extended ranges, thus
favoring gasoline vehicles.11
The first commercial electric vehicle was Morris and Salom’s Electroboat.
This vehicle was operated as a taxi in New York City by a company created
by its inventors. The Electroboat proved to be more profitable than horse
cabs despite a higher purchase price (around $3000 vs. $1200). It could be
used for three shifts of 4 h with 90-min recharging periods in between. It was
powered by two 1.5 hp motors that allowed a maximum speed of 32 km/h
and a 40-km range.11
The most significant technical advance of that era was the invention of regen-
erative braking by Frenchman M.A. Darracq on his 1897 coupe. This method
allows recuperating the vehicle’s kinetic energy while braking and recharging
the batteries, which greatly enhances the driving range. It is one of the most sig-
nificant contributions to electric and hybrid electric vehicle technology as it
contributes to energy efficiency more than anything else in urban driving.
In addition, among the most significant electric vehicles of that era was the
first vehicle ever to reach 100 km/h. It was “La Jamais Contente” built by
Frenchman Camille Jenatzy. Note that Studebaker and Oldsmobile first
started in business by building electric vehicles.
As gasoline automobiles became more powerful, more flexible, and, above
all, easier to handle, electric vehicles started to disappear. Their high cost di
