In this article
Electric cars are older than most people think. Around 1900, electric vehicles were a significant share of American cars, prized for being quiet, clean and easy to start, and New York City had a fleet of electric taxis as early as 1897. They faded after the electric self-starter (1912) made gasoline cars easy to use and the Model T made them cheap. Electric cars returned in the 1990s with the GM EV1, took off with Tesla in the 2010s, and today include luxury flagships from Mercedes, BMW, Cadillac and Rolls-Royce.
Timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1830s–80s | Early experimental electric vehicles |
| 1897 | Electric taxis in New York City |
| c. 1900 | Electric cars a significant share of U.S. vehicles |
| 1912 | Electric starter boosts gasoline cars |
| 1996 | GM EV1 |
| 2008 | Tesla Roadster |
| 2012 | Tesla Model S |
| 2020s | Luxury EVs from established brands |
The first golden age
Around 1900, cars were powered by steam, electricity and gasoline. Electrics were popular in cities: no cranking, no fumes, no noise. Brands like Detroit Electric built elegant electric cars favored by city drivers. Their weakness was range and the lack of electricity outside cities.
The decline
Cheap oil, better roads that encouraged longer trips, the electric starter and the affordable Model T made gasoline cars dominant. Read the electric self-starter and the Ford Model T.
The return
California’s zero-emission vehicle rules led to the GM EV1 in 1996, and hybrids like the Toyota Prius showed electrification could work. Lithium-ion batteries made long range possible, and Tesla proved electric cars could be desirable. Read the Tesla Model S history.
Luxury goes electric
Today, electric luxury cars include the Mercedes EQS, BMW i7, Cadillac Escalade IQ and Celestiq, Lucid Air, Porsche Taycan and Rolls-Royce Spectre. Read electric vs gas luxury cars and New York’s 1897 electric taxis.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
When was the first electric car made?
Experimental electric vehicles appeared in the 1830s; practical electric cars were sold from the 1890s.
Were there electric taxis in the 1800s?
Yes. New York City had electric taxicabs from 1897.
Why did early electric cars disappear?
Cheap gasoline, the electric starter, the affordable Model T and limited range made gasoline cars dominant.
