The Electric Car in America, 1890-1922: A Social History

The electric vehicle seemed poised in 1900 to be a leader in automotive production. Clean, odorless, noiseless and mechanically simple, electrics rarely broke down and were easy to operate. An electric car could be started instantly from the driver's seat; no other machine could claim that advantage.

But then it all went wrong. As this history details, the hope and confidence of 1900 collapsed and just two decades later electric cars were effectively dead. They had remained expensive even as gasoline cars saw dramatic price reductions, and the storage battery was an endless source of problems. An increasingly frantic public relations campaign of lies and deceptive advertising could not turn the tide.

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The Electric Car in America, 1890-1922: A Social History

The electric vehicle seemed poised in 1900 to be a leader in automotive production. Clean, odorless, noiseless and mechanically simple, electrics rarely broke down and were easy to operate. An electric car could be started instantly from the driver's seat; no other machine could claim that advantage.

But then it all went wrong. As this history details, the hope and confidence of 1900 collapsed and just two decades later electric cars were effectively dead. They had remained expensive even as gasoline cars saw dramatic price reductions, and the storage battery was an endless source of problems. An increasingly frantic public relations campaign of lies and deceptive advertising could not turn the tide.

49.95 In Stock
The Electric Car in America, 1890-1922: A Social History

The Electric Car in America, 1890-1922: A Social History

by Kerry Segrave
The Electric Car in America, 1890-1922: A Social History

The Electric Car in America, 1890-1922: A Social History

by Kerry Segrave

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$49.95 
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Overview

The electric vehicle seemed poised in 1900 to be a leader in automotive production. Clean, odorless, noiseless and mechanically simple, electrics rarely broke down and were easy to operate. An electric car could be started instantly from the driver's seat; no other machine could claim that advantage.

But then it all went wrong. As this history details, the hope and confidence of 1900 collapsed and just two decades later electric cars were effectively dead. They had remained expensive even as gasoline cars saw dramatic price reductions, and the storage battery was an endless source of problems. An increasingly frantic public relations campaign of lies and deceptive advertising could not turn the tide.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781476676715
Publisher: McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date: 04/11/2019
Pages: 263
Product dimensions: 7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.53(d)
Age Range: 18 Years

About the Author

Cultural historian Kerry Segrave is the author of dozens of books on such diverse topics as drive-in theaters, ticket-scalping, lie detectors, jukeboxes, smoking and shoplifting. He lives in British Columbia.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction
Part I: Pre-1895
 1. Prior to 1890
 2. The Years 1890–1894
Part II: 1895–1900, Electrics Show Great Promise
 3. 1895–1900, the Overview
 4. 1895–1900, the Cabs
 5. 1895–1900, the Industry
 6. 1895–1900, the Battery
 7. 1895–1900, the Exhibitions
 8. 1895–1900, the Motive Powers
 9. 1895–1900, the Users
Part III: 1901–1913, Gasoline Cars Advance; Electrics Stagnate
10. 1901–1913, the Overview
11. 1901–1913, the Cabs
12. 1901–1913, the Industry
13. 1901–1913, the Battery
14. 1901–1913, the Exhibitions
15. 1901–1913, the Motive Powers
16. 1901–1913, the Users
Part IV: 1914–1922, End Times for Electrics
17. 1914–1922, the Crank Start
18. 1914–1922, the Industry
19. 1914–1922, the Battery
20. 1914–1922, the Users
Appendix: Statistics
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
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