The Timeline of the Electric Vehicle
Explore the timeline of the electric vehicle.
Many people consider the electric vehicle to be a reasonably new invention. This is not true – electric cars have been manufactured and used for nearly two hundred years!
Join us on the road from the invention of the first electric vehicle in 1832, to the most recent developments in the electric vehicle industry.
19th Century
1832 – The first crude electric vehicle was developed by Scottish inventor, Robert Anderson. It was more like a carriage than a car, and the batteries would need to be replaced once they ran out.
1870 – The first ‘car’ was developed by Siegfried Marcus, a German inventor. It was fitted with an ICE engine and powered by petrol.
1884 – The first practical production of the electric car was invented in London by Brit Thomas Parker. It used high-capacity batteries that could be recharged. With a bit of tweaking, they would have hydraulic brakes on all four wheels, and four-wheel steering.
1886 – The Ford Model T was developed by Karl Benz. It was mass-produced under the Ford production line. It had its issues, though – it was difficult to change gears and start the engine, was loud, and the fumes were unpleasant.
1888 – The Flocken Elecktrowagen is developed in Coburg by German inventor, Andreas Flocken. It was high-wheeled, had iron tyres, and could reach speeds of 9mph. It weighed 882 lbs.
1894 – The ElectroBat, the first successful electric automobile was developed in Philadelphia by Pedro G. Salom and Henry G Morris.
1897 – Bersey Cabs was introduced in London, by Walter C Bersey. The cars had an electric range of fifty miles and could carry two passengers. A total of 77 were built, and you can see an original one in London’s Science Museum.
20th Century
1901 – The world's first hybrid car is invented by the founder of Porsche, Ferdinand Porsche. It had both a petrol engine and an electric battery.
1914 – Henry Ford worked with Thomas Edison to try and develop an electric car. After investing $1.4 million (equivalent to $34 million today) it was found that the Model T was much cheaper to produce and was in high demand. They struggled to create a battery that was powerful enough to power a car the same way an ICE engine did.
1930 – The electric car industry essentially disappeared when affordable petrol in Texas was discovered. By 1935, many electric vehicles were replaced with petrol-powered cars.
1947 – Still dealing with the effects of the war, Japan faced oil shortages which lead to the development of their first-ever EV, the Nissan Tama. It could drive 96.3km and go as fast as 35.2km/h.
1959 – An EV which is powered by self-charging battery technology is explored by the AMC (American Motors Corporation).
1971 – The first manned vehicle is driven on the moon. NASA’s Lunar Rover runs on electricity, and electric vehicles are in the spotlight once again.
1970 – As petrol prices rise, the idea of electric cars become more attractive once more.
1974 – The production of the CitiCar begins in Florida, by the company Sebring-Vanguard. Its conception came about due to the fuel crisis and was inspired by the golf cart. 4,444 units were produced, which was the highest amount until Tesla surpassed this in 2011.
1996 – the EV1 was developed by AMC and became the first mass-produced electric vehicle. It had a range of 70-90 miles and took 15 hours to charge. It quickly became a cult classic, with it only being available to lease in Los Angeles, Tucson, and Phoenix – the EV1 was not available for outright purchase.
1997 – The first mass-produced hybrid, the Toyota Prius, was released in Japan.
TED-ED give a fantastic visual explanation of the timeline of the electric vehicle.
21st Century
2000 – The Toyota Prius Hybrid is released worldwide and becomes a hit with celebrities. This made the electric vehicle attractive once again.
2006 – Tesla Motors is born. It starts as a Silicon Valley start-up and announces its plans for a luxury, all-electric sports car with a range of over 200 miles.
2008 – The Tesla Roadster was the first highway-legal, serial-production, all-electric car which used a lithium-ion battery as its power source.
2009 – The Energy Department invests in a nationwide charging infrastructure in the USA. By 2013, there are 18,000 residential, commercial, and public electric car chargers installed.
2010 – The Nissan Leaf hit the market in Japan and the US.
2013 – The first gen Renault Zoe was released. In the same year, the cost of a lithium-ion battery drops 50% thanks to investments made by the Energy Department. This made the electric vehicle more affordable to a wider range of consumers.
2015 – in May, the global sales of highway legal, all-electric passenger cars and light utility vehicles passes the 500,000-unit milestone. By September, it had reached one million units.
2016 – Norway becomes the first country in the world where 5% of all registered passenger cars are electric.
2017 – Tesla, that little start-up from Silicon Valley, is named the top car brand in the USA.
2018 – The first public EV Charging lamppost was installed in London.
2020 – Tesla became the first auto manufacturer to produce 1 million electric cars.
2024 – Today, electric cars are a popular choice for drivers all over the world.
Electric cars are a huge part of the automobile industry today, and with the UK’s proposed ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in 2035, we’re sure to see plenty more of them on the UK’s Road over the next decade.
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