CAR SPECIAL ....Electric Reboot

 Electric Reboot

In 1900, about a third of all cars on US roads were electric. Then gasoline models took over. But the focus has now returned to electric vehicles. By 2040, more than half of new cars worldwide will be battery-powered, says Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Here is a look at the evolution of electric vehicles

1800s

Inventors in several countries start experimenting with battery-powered vehicles. Robert Anderson in Britain is credited with developing the first electric carriage in 1832. In 1899, Belgian race car driver Camille Jenatzy drives faster than 100 km/h in the La Jamais Contente, an electric vehicle developed by him. An electric taxi is involved in the first recorded US motor-vehicle fatality in New York, on September 13, 1899.

1900-1910s

Automakers market EV to women, spiffing them up with fancy upholstery, flower vases, clocks and even makeup kits. Companies tout them as quieter, cleaner and easier to operate than gasoline models. Henry Ford and Thomas Edison work on a “cheap and practicable” electric automobile that will “run for 100 miles.” But they eventually abandon the project. Ferdinand Porsche develops his first car, the electric P1.

1920s-1960s

The popularity of EV declines because of demand for Ford’s mass-produced Model T and other gasoline-fuelled vehicles. In 1959, National Union Electric Corp modifies 100 Renault Dauphines to run on batteries. The new versions are called Henney Kilowatts. Other companies start making concept models in response to growing concerns about air pollution.

1970s-1980s

Battery power gets a promotional boost in 1971 and 1972 as the world watches NASA’s electric Lunar Roving Vehicle bounce around on the moon. Soaring gasoline prices later in the decade cause automakers and the US Department of Energy to explore alternative fuels, with GM developing a prototype urban electric car in 1973 and Sebring-Vanguard bringing out its CitiCar. But limited range and performance issues hinder widespread acceptance.

1990s

Tightening emission rules cause auto firms to focus increasingly on alternative-fuel vehicles. In 1997, GM introduces the EV1, making more than 1,000 of the sleek two-seaters and leasing them to customers as a market study. The first mass-produced hybrids also go on sale — Toyota’s Prius and Honda’s Insight — and Nissan previews its Altra EV minivan, powered by lithium-ion batteries.

2000s

GM destroys most of the EV1s. In 2003, Marc Tarpenning and Martin Eberhard incorporate Tesla Motors. Elon Musk, PayPal’s cofounder, leads an initial investment of $7.5 million and becomes chairman in 2004. Tesla launches the Roadster sports car (the first production EV to use lithium-ion battery cells) in 2008.

2010s

Nissan’s Leaf goes on sale in 2010 and becomes the world’s best-selling electric car. Tesla adds more models. Musk announces plans to build an electric semi-truck, which will compete with haulers from Daimler and China’s BYD, backed by Warren Buffett. China’s focus on cutting smog and oil imports makes it the world’s biggest EV market, spurring hundreds of local manufacturers and startups to fight for share.

The Future

More than 230 battery-powered vehicles will be available globally by 2021, says Bloomberg New Energy Finance. These will include SUVs — such as Audi’s e-tron and Jaguar’s I-Pace — and pickups. By 2024, EV sales in the US will pass 1 mn, againts 2017’s 104,000, and deliveries in China will top 3 mn. And to think it all started with Robert Anderson’s 1832 electric carriage.

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