The History of the Electric Car

1903 Columbia Mark LX Electric Runabout

Before the electric car became the transport of tomorrow, it was the horseless carriage of yesteryear. At the turn of the 20th century, electric-powered cars were more popular than their noisy, smelly, gasoline-fired cousins, which had to be started using a hand crank that had a tendency to backfire. Among the best selling, and most basic, were the Columbia Runabouts, produced by the Hartford, Conn., alliance of Pope Manufacturing and the Electric Vehicle Company. Aside from the Deep Space Nine-style name, the Mark LX Electric Runabout could boast a top speed of 15 mph and a range of about 40 miles per charge — coincidentally the same distance Chevrolet's futuristic 2007 Volt can cover before requiring a refreshing plug-in.