|
| |
EV History
History
Main article: history of the electric vehicle
Edison and an electric car, 1913 (courtesy of the National Museum of American
History)Electric motive power started with a small railway operated by a
miniature electric motor, built by Thomas Davenport in 1835. In 1838, a Scotsman
named Robert Davidson built an electric locomotive that attained a speed of four
miles an hour. In England a patent was granted in 1840 for the use of rails as
conductors of electric current, and similar American patents were issued to
Lilley and Colten in 1847. [3]
Between 1832 and 1839 (the exact year is uncertain), Robert Anderson of Scotland
invented the first crude electric carriage, powered by non-rechargable Primary
cells. [4]
By the 20th century, electric cars and rail transport were commonplace, with
commercial electric automobiles having the majority of the market. Electrified
trains were used for coal transport as the motors did not use precious oxygen in
the mines. Switzerland's lack of natural fossil resources forced the rapid
electrification of their rail network.
Electric vehicles were among the earliest automobiles, and before the
preeminence of light, powerful internal combustion engines, electric automobiles
held many vehicle land speed and distance records in the early 1900s. They were
produced by Anthony Electric, Baker Electric, Detroit Electric, and others and
at one point in history out-sold gasoline-powered vehicles.
In the early 20th century, National City Lines, which was a partnership of
General Motors, Firestone, and Standard Oil of California purchased many
electric tram networks across the country to dismantle them and replace them
with GM buses. The partnership was convicted for this conspiracy, but the ruling
was overturned in a higher court.
EV1s crushed by General Motors only 5 years after productionFrom 1996 to 1998
during emissions reductions regulations GM produced 1117 of their EV1 models,
800 of which were made available through 3-year leases. In 2003, upon the
expiration of EV1 leases, GM crushed them. The reason for the crushing is not
clear, but has variously been attributed to (1) the auto industry's successful
challenge to California law requiring zero emission vehicles or (2) a federal
regulation requiring GM to produce and maintain spare parts for the few
thousands EV1s or (3) a conspiracy to remove the dream of electric vehicles from
the public consciousness. A web site tracks crushing of other electric vehicles.
A movie on the subject was made in 2005-2006, entitled Who Killed the Electric
Car? was released theatrically by Sony Pictures Classics in 2006. The film
explores the roles of automobile manufacturers, oil industry, the US government,
batteries, hydrogen vehicles, and consumers, and each of their roles in limiting
the deployment and adoption of this technology.
Since 1994 ZAP, a California based company see Zap Motors, has been marketing
various electric vehicles with some minor development efforts in electricly
assisted bycycles. In 2005 ZAP began selling the Xebra. A 100% electric vehicle
manufactured in China that is classified as a motorcycle (not restricted to
neighborhood electric vehicle use but also not suitable for general high-speed
road driving). The Xebra employs a delta tricycle wheel configuration generally
considered unstable for general use owing to a tendency to overturn in extreme
use. ZAP claims to purchased 500 Xebras from its China manufactured to then be
sold to its dealer network.
| |
|
