Electric Cars Were Huge in the 1900s… So What Went Wrong?

The history of electric cars dates back to the early 19th century, well before the dominance of gasoline-powered vehicles. In the 1820s and 1830s, innovators in Hungary, the Netherlands, and the United States began experimenting with small-scale electric-powered carriages. By the late 19th century, electric vehicles (EVs) had become practical with the development of better batteries. Notably, in 1889, William Morrison built one of the first successful electric cars in the United States, capable of a top speed of 14 mph. By the early 1900s, electric cars were extremely popular, especially among urban elites, due to their quiet operation, lack of emissions, and ease of use compared to gasoline cars, which required hand cranking. In fact, around 1900, electric vehicles accounted for about a third of all vehicles on U.S. roads. However, the rise of mass production techniques, pioneered by Henry Ford with the Model T, made gasoline cars far more affordable, while improvements in internal combustion engines and the availability of cheap oil further marginalized electric vehicles. By the 1930s, electric cars had largely disappeared from the mainstream. It wasn’t until the late 20th and early 21st centuries, driven by concerns over climate change, pollution, and oil dependency, that EVs saw a major resurgence. Companies like Tesla revolutionized the modern electric car industry, while advancements in battery technology and government incentives have positioned EVs as a critical component of a sustainable future.