It Was A Gas
UNLESS you’ve been living under the crust of the Earth or beneath an iceberg for the past few years, you’ve probably become aware of the sea change that’s impacting our beloved automobiles. Electrification. ’Course, electric vehicles (EVs) are nothing new. Back in 1828, Hungarian Ányos Jedlik invented a small-scale model car powered by an electric motor that he designed. Electrics peaked in popularity between 1899 and 1900, outselling all other types of cars. There was even a hybrid electric/internal combustion engine sold by the Woods Motor Co. of Chicago, which had a range of 18 miles, a top speed of 18 MPH, and a price tag of 2 grand. Electrics died out in the 1920s when better roads connected cities and called for longer range vehicles. The discovery of Texas crude…