Far from being a modern conception, electric cars were among the first vehicles on the road. In the formative days of the automobile, a third of cars were electric, and they challenged internal combustion engine-driven vehicles for primacy. Economic and environmental concerns have periodically revived widespread interest in electric cars and hybrid vehicles, and the quest for a non- or less-polluting vehicle that meets consumer’s performance demands continues today. The story of the electric car is a long one, and it is still being written.
This illustrated history of electric and hybrid vehicles covers the companies that produced various models; the politics that have surrounded them; the environmental aspects of electric and hybrid vehicles versus internal combustion engines; efforts to overcome technological challenges associated with electric vehicles; marketing strategies through the decades; and public attitudes towards these vehicles throughout their existence. An appendix lists important dates in the history of electric cars, and a glossary defines associated acronyms.
