In the early days of the automobile, the electric car was massively popular. Then came Henry Ford’s Model T, which was introduced in 1908. It was it that dealt the initial blow to the poor electric car. Since it was mass-produced, the T became became widely available -- and affordable. By 1912, the gasoline car cost only $650, while an electric roadster sold for $1,750. Then came the electric starter, introduced by Charles Kettering, it made the gas car more convenient by eliminating the need for the hand crank.
The onslaught was on. Other developments followed. By the 1920s, the U.S. had a better system of roads connecting cities, and Americans wanted to get out and explore -- and that meant going further than the electric car could hope to go. Then, with the discovery of Texas crude oil, gas became cheap and readily available for rural Americans, and filling stations popped up across the country. In comparison, very few Americans outside of cities had electricity.
Alas, with so many blows raining down on it, by 1935 the electric vehicle had all but disappeared.
(Index -- Climate change info)
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