Electric vehicles have for long existed for almost two centuries; however, their recent progress in the popularity has gone on to make them more accessible. Initially, they happened to be prohibitively expensive, thereby limiting their appeal. But the decrease in battery prices has gone on to fuel an increase in demand. Experts go on to project that by 2040, more than half of all cars across the world will solely rely on batteries, thereby marking a major point in the journey, history, as well as evolution of electric vehicles.
Let us have a look at their Evolution Saga:
1800s:
It was in 1832 that Robert Anderson, who was a British inventor, went on to introduce the world’s first battery-operated carriage, thereby preceding the invention of the famous gasoline-run vehicles by around 50 years. Thomas Parker, Gustave Trouvé, along with Andreas Flocken went on to experiment with electric cars across the 1880s, thereby leading to the practical development of battery electric vehicles during the 1890s. Notably, by 1931, the usage of electric vehicle milk floats went on to expand further, thereby propelling Britain to go on to establish the largest electric vehicle fleet in the world by 1967. The culmination of the 19th century went on to witness the growing popularity of electric taxis, thereby paradoxically marking the scene of the first motor fatality in American history.
1900-1960s:
It is worth noting that in the early 20th century, electric vehicles went on to gain popularity on U.S. roads, and these electric vehicles happened to be managed by way of a network of charging stations. Automakers went on to target these vehicles towards women, thereby adorning them with lavish upholstery, flower vases, clocks, and, in some cases, even vanity kits. By being promoted as quieter, cleaner, and, in addition, easier to operate than the gas models, these vehicles garnered immense attention. Henry Ford as well as Thomas Edison even went on to attempt to come up with a cheap and practical electric vehicle that was capable of a 100-mile range, but the project was eventually scrapped. Having developed his first electric P1 vehicle at the end of the last century, Ferdinand Porsche went on to introduce the world’s first hybrid, thereby mixing gas and battery power. But the surge in popularity when it came to gas-powered vehicles, especially Ford’s Model T, thereby led to a decline in the interest in electric cars, and by the mid of the 1930s, very few remained on the roads. A new application went on to emerge in 1954 when Lektro went ahead and introduced one of the initial electric golf carts within the industry. In 1959, National Union Electric Corp. went on to convert 100 Renault Dauphines to run on batteries, thereby creating the Henney Kilowatts, with just 47 ordered, majorly because of electric utilities. And amidst the rising concerns about air pollution, the 1960s went on to see many companies, such as General Motors and American Motors, thereby manufacturing concept models of electric vehicles.
1970s-1990s
The stretch of the 1970s witnessed NASA’s Lunar Roving Vehicle, which was engineered by Boeing and GM, thereby making significant strides across the technology spectrum and hence leading to a momentary rise in interest within the battery power. Concurrently, the U.S. Department of Fuel and Energy dived into alternative energies. GM went ahead and also crafted a prototype urban electric vehicle sometime in 1973, whereas Sebring-Vanguard came up with the CitiCar. But a limited range and also performance issues cut short the widespread acceptance, hence prompting intensive research into the battery technology. The tightening of the emission regulations redirected auto companies to stress more on the alternative fuel vehicles. In 1997, GM went ahead and unveiled the EV1, thereby leasing out more than 1,000 sleek two-seaters for their market analysis. Furthermore, the market also witnessed the commencement of the first mass-produced hybrids, which were Toyota’s Prius as well as Honda’s Insight, in addition to Nissan’s Altra EV minivan, which was powered by lithium-ion batteries.
The era of the 2000s-2010s
It is well to be noted that GM’s dismantling of most of the EV1s in 2003 preceded the commencement of Tesla Motors by Marc Tarpenning along with Martin Eberhard. Elon Musk, the co-founder of PayPal, happened to inject an initial $7.5 million investment and thereby assume the role of its chairman in 2004. Apparently, it was Nissan’s Leaf that became the world’s top-selling electric vehicle on its 2010 release, whereas Tesla went on to expand its lineup with the fleet of the Model S, Model X, as well as more affordable Model 3. Musk went on to reveal plans pertaining to an electric semi-truck so as to compete with the haulers from Daimler, which was the maker of Mercedes-Benz, and China’s BYD, which was backed by Warren Buffett.
Going Beyond 2010: The Electric Future
The fact is that the revolution of the electric car went on to gather momentum post-2010, thereby attracting many phenomenal carmakers to be a part of the electric vehicle market. This influx went on to result in a diverse range of EV models, thereby catering to many consumer needs. Apparently, these advancements went on to extend the driving ranges, hence reducing charging times, and also lowered the price tags for EVs. Governments across the world implemented incentives as well as regulations so as to drive the adoption of electric vehicles, thereby majorly contributing towards the global push when it comes to electrifying transportation.
A bright and green future
Significantly, in an era that happens to be increasingly focused on environmental sustainability, the evolution when it comes to battery-electric vehicles goes on to provide insight when it comes to the changing transportation landscape. Right from the pioneers of the 1800s to the forefront when it comes to the 21st century, electric vehicles have gone on to traverse through a remarkable path. But their journey goes on to continue. Clean as well as sustainable mobility will indeed push the world forward, thereby decreasing emissions in order to preserve the planet for generations to come. Indeed, the road ahead happens to be charged with possibilities that are just endless.
