The 1907 Detroit Electric was in many ways electricity’s answer to the Model T Ford that came out the following year. It was simple, reliable, practical and affordable, unlike previous efforts to electrify personal road transport. The Anderson Electric Company in Detroit, Michigan built 13,000 of them between 1907 and 1939. This made them early proof that electric road transport really is a practical alternative.
From a Horse-Drawn Carriage to a Detroit Electric
The Anderson Company had produced horse-drawn carriages and buggies since 1884. However, it must have realized the first phase of personal automotive transport was upon it. For it produced its first electric car in 1907, and this was seamlessly powered by rechargeable lead-acid batteries!
The alternative Edison nickel-iron battery was also available as an optional extra at $600 on later models. Although the original base model regularly drove 80 miles between charges, with one trial achieving a remarkable 211 miles. Top speed was a moderate 20 mph. This was a great improvement on a horse trotting at 8 mph, which was perfectly adequate for those leisurely days.
The Detroit Electric targeted people unlikely to want to struggle with noisy gasoline engines. And so its market included women deemed unsuitable to crank-start engines in those olden days. And doctors too, who delighted in being able to silently make house calls at night without disturbing the neighbors!
The Technology Behind the ‘Little Ol’ Lady’
There were two levers and three pedals for the driver to master. One lever allowed them to select from five rates of speed, plus reverse of course. The second lever steered the Detroit Electric like a tiller on a boat. A combination of pedal settings took care of braking, and parking safely.
But the 42, 1.95 volt battery cells were the powerhouse behind this innovation These delivered 25.5 amps for 6 hours. Somewhat less than a modern Nissan Leaf’s 24 kWh capacity! The American public took to the idea like a duck to water. A modern driver was soon spoiled for choices of charging stations in cities like Detroit and New York.
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