More than a hundred years ago, battery-operated vehicles held a prominent place in the automobile world. These silent and emission-free vehicles were once integral to the streets of New York City. Surprisingly, even in that early stage of motorised transport history, one in every three taxis whizzing around the city was electric.
The relics of these early electric vehicles are practically extinct. However, a select few precious gems still survive. One of these vintage treasures – a fully restored Baker Electric – is tucked away in Jay Leno’s vast Californian garage.
The predecessors to the electric vehicles we know today, such as the Baker Electric Coupe and the Riker Electric Roadster, had once gained popularity across American roads. Their prevalence reached such an extent that approximately thirty-three percent of taxis in New York City ran on electricity.
However, these pioneering electric cars were toppled by a more affordable and convenient alternative – the gasoline-powered car. The introduction of vehicles such as the Ford Model T marked a shift in preference as they were less expensive and could be easily refueled due to the advent of oil-based fuels.
The 1920s saw the flourish of the oil industry, largely due to federal tax incentives. This industrial bloom echoed on the roads in the roar of gasoline-powered vehicles. Thus, the beloved electric vehicles started drifting into obscurity, paving the way for the dominance of their gasoline counterparts.
The substantial history of electric cars is mostly forgotten today. The emergence and eventual disappearance of these early eco-friendly vehicles is a chapter many individuals are unaware of, given how these early electrics have nearly vanished from the face of the Earth.
Only a minuscule number of these historical vehicles survive in museums and private collections. A fascinating testament to this forgotten era is the preserved Baker Electric, proudly showcased in Jay Leno’s extensive collection.
Leno’s antique electric car, with its wooden frame and 36-inch rubber wheels, is a peculiar sight. Despite its stagecoach-like appearance, it is an electrified vehicle in essence, featuring electric motors and batteries analogous to contemporary electric vehicles like Tesla Model Y or Cadillac Lyriq.
Taking his Baker Electric out for a spin in Burbank, California, Leno couldn’t help but invite awe-struck glances and wide grins from onlookers. Although the sight of an ancient electric vehicle maneuvering modern roads might seem absurd, it holds stark relevance in the contemporary context.
Scrutinized under the lens of the current political landscape, this historical snapshot is terrifyingly pertinent. With concerted attempts by the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers to suppress the burgeoning electric vehicle industry, the United States might find itself poised to repeat history.
These policymaking efforts seek to levy additional taxes on electric vehicles and drastically swing federal policy towards oil and gasoline. It’s a painful irony that at a point when technological progress should theoretically steer us towards a cleaner, more sustainable future, we’re looking at the risk of backpedaling back to an era of pollution and non-renewable energy sources.
It appears as though key players in policy and politics have decided to ignore the lessons from our past. If history is any indication, suppressing electric vehicle evolution in favor of oil-based mobility can only lead to a dead-end, a repetitive cycle without any room for true innovation and sustainability.