Pics of three OTHER wonderful EVs

[wws]

This page has some fun links to the brass era electrics: http://www.lincoln-highway-museum.org/EV/EV-Index.html

In particular, there are documents outlining the state of the electric car and truck industry in 1913, 1914, and 1915. Looks like Studebaker had bowed out by 1913. Interestingly, GMC made electric trucks back then:

http://www.lincoln-highway-museum.org/EV/Reviews/1913-Electric_Vehicles.pdf

http://www.lincoln-highway-museum.org/EV/Reviews/1914-Electric_Vehicles.pdf

http://www.lincoln-highway-museum.org/EV/Reviews/1915-Electric_Vehicles.pdf

 

[brianman]

View attachment 85000

For convenient text searches in the future:

You Should Replace the Horse with Studebaker Commercial Vehicles, because

1. Cost less to maintain. Horse maintenance charges continue to increase; "Studebaker" upkeep decreasing.
2. Horse a perpetual expense while alive. Must always be fed and groomed, whether at work or idle.
3. Studebaker Electric costs nothing when unemployed.
4. Cuts down stable space required to less than one-half.
5. So compact, can be stabled in smaller quarters, permitting less expensive housing.
6. Requires fewer caretakers.
7. Needs no attention on days when not in use.
8. Lasts longer.
9. Does the work of at least two horse vehicles, and sometimes three.
10. Cuts down expense of drivers and wagon boys.
11. Goes there and back while the horse is on the way.
12. Quicker deliveries; meeting the demands of the times.
13. Working hours of a day not limited.
14. Requires no time for rest.
15. Less hampered and delayed in congested traffic.
16. Garages inoffensive and can be located in convenient places near distributing centers. No insurance restriction.
17. Always ready when you want them.
18. Will work under weather and road conditions when the horse cannot.
19. Can be worked overtime without handicapping efficiency.
20. Requires less space for loading; saves time in loading and unloading. More can be loaded at same time.
21. More cleanly and sanitary.
22. Costs can always be accurately determined and gauged.
23. Makes possible extension of free delivery limits at a lower cost.
24. An indication of progressiveness, and a good advertisement.

A 1907 advertisement for Studebaker motorized commercial ...

 

[tonybelding]

Ironic, isn't it? Some in the era advertised 100 miles or more. OTOH, those cars were limited to 20-25 mph.

Let's remember also that there was no EPA test cycle and effectively no enforcement of advertised claims. You could set up a perfectly smooth and level test track and run your electric car around it at a constant 10 MPH until it stopped and then advertise how far it went. That's if you even bothered to test it. It was even easier and cheaper to just write "100 mile range" in the ads, because that would sell cars.

 

[Mookuh]

For convenient text searches in the future:



A 1907 advertisement for Studebaker motorized commercial ...

Haha, love that, thanks for posting it. I especially like the redundancy in every other point.

 

[wws]

Let's remember also that there was no EPA test cycle and effectively no enforcement of advertised claims. You could set up a perfectly smooth and level test track and run your electric car around it at a constant 10 MPH until it stopped and then advertise how far it went. That's if you even bothered to test it. It was even easier and cheaper to just write "100 mile range" in the ads, because that would sell cars.

Perhaps true. But then there were some "out there" folks. Oliver Fritchle demonstrated his "100 mile Fritchle" by driving it 1800 miles from Lincoln, NE to NYC. He ran out of battery once with 2 miles to go (after losing 10 miles to a wrong turn.) And the only mechanical failure was a blown tire. His car even had a form of regeneration to charge the battery when going downhill:

https://books.google.com/books?id=U...&q="100 miles on one charge" fritchle&f=false

And Col Bailey driving his 1913 Bailey Electric 1300 miles from Boston to NYC to Chicago in horrible weather conditions. See towards the bottom of:

http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/baileyhistory.htm

Most of the cars advertising really long range did it with the newfangled Edison cells, rather than more typical Exide cells. If you look through the pdfs I posted above, the Edisons were an extra cost option over the Exides. Fritchle apparently made his own batteries.

 

[wws]

Ironic, isn't it? Some in the era advertised 100 miles or more. OTOH, those cars were limited to 20-25 mph.

Thanks for posting these. I am going to be in Fairbanks in a couple of months, and will see about getting over to the museum.

- - - Updated - - -



Driving position wasn't standardized back then. A lot of brass era (e.g. pre-WW 1) cars in the U.S. were RHD.



A different Walter

We managed to visit the museum in Fairbanks. If anyone is in the area, it is well worth the time. There are many amazing cars in the collection, all in pristine and drivable condition. Even my non-car buff wife really enjoyed it, in part due to the vintage womens dresses that were on display. Web site is: http://www.fountainheadmuseum.com

In addition to the three EVs that were pictured in the beginning of this thread, they also have a beautiful 1917 Owen Magnetic - which is a series hybrid. (Jay Leno also has one.)