Electric vehicles feel like a modern invention. But the history of electric vehicles stretches back almost 200 years, predating the internal combustion engine itself.
From early prototypes powered by rudimentary batteries to the sleek, high-performance models on our roads today, the electric car has had a remarkable journey. Here's how it all unfolded.
The origins of the electric car: 1820s–1850s
Pinpointing a single inventor or invention date for the electric car is difficult. Instead, a series of breakthroughs across Europe and the US laid the foundations.
Hungarian inventor Ányos Jedlik unveiled the first small-scale electric motor prototype in 1828. Scottish inventor Robert Davidson is credited with building the first full-size electric carriage powered by non-rechargeable batteries, a development believed to have occurred between 1832 and 1839. American blacksmith Thomas Davenport built a small-scale electric car in 1835, powered by the first DC motor, the first practical electric vehicle ever designed.
Byaround 1842, Davenport and Davidson had developed their concepts into more successful electric road vehicles, with Great Britain and France leading further development.
Battery breakthroughs: 1860s–1880s
One of the biggest breakthroughs of this era came in 1859 when French physicist Gaston Planté invented the rechargeable lead-acid storage battery, the technology that made electric motoring a practical proposition. His colleague Camille Fauré further improved it in 1881.
That same year, British inventors William Ayrton and John Perry built an electric tricycle with a range of 10 to 25 miles. In 1884, British inventor Thomas Parker constructed the first electric production car in London. In 1888, the Electric Construction Corporation was formed, securing a monopoly on electric car manufacturing for the following decade.
The rise of the electric car: Early 1900s
By the turn of the century, electric vehicles were genuinely popular. In 1891, William Morrison introduced a six-passenger electric wagon to the US capable of 14mph. By 1895,an electric vehicle had won the first known US auto race. By 1896, the first specialist electric car dealership had opened in the US.
Ferdinand Porsche presented his first design, an electric car called the P1, in 1898, before going on to develop the world's first hybrid electric vehicle.Between 1901 and 1908, nickel-iron batteries were invented by Thomas Edison and became popular for automobile applications.
Between 1900 and 1912, electric vehicles made up a third of all vehicles on US roads, valued for their lack of vibration, smell and noise.
The decline and the rise of the combustion engine: 1920s–1960s
The electric vehicle's popularity did not last.By the 1920s, America's expanding road network demanded longer-range vehicles. At the same time, Henry Ford's mass production of internal combustion engines halved the cost of petrol-powered cars between 1900 and 1920.By 1935, the electric vehicle had all but disappeared from roads, due to a lack of demand, limited range and the falling price of petrol.
The EV comeback: 1970s–1990s
Gas prices in the US rocketed during the 1960s and 1970s, spurring renewed interest in electric vehicles. Battery technology advanced from lead-acid to nickel-cadmium, enabling greater energy storage, though Ni-Cd batteries are now prohibited due to the toxicity of cadmium.
NASA helped restore interest in electric vehicles in 1971 when electricity powered the Lunar Rover on the first manned moon mission. In 1974 ,the CitiCar, an environmentally friendly vehicle that required no fuel or oil changes, was built by Sebring-Vanguard.
By the early 1990s, California's clean air agency began pushing for low-emission vehicles, prompting manufacturers to electrify existing models. In 1997, the Toyota Prius became the world's first mass-produced hybrid, achieving global success.
Tesla and the modern EV era: 2000s–present
Tesla Motors was founded in 2004 by Elon Musk with the goal of producing a fully electric sports car. In 2008, the Tesla Roadster launched with a range of approximately 244 miles on a single charge. Other manufacturers followed, andcharging networks began to develop worldwide from around 2009.
Nissan's Leaf went on sale in 2010, quickly becoming the world's best-selling electric car at the time. By the end of 2020,over 10 million electric vehicles were on the roads globally, withEV sales growing by an average of 41% that year despite the pandemic. In the UK, in 2026 it was announced that the number of electric vehicles on the UK roads had surpassed 2 million, underpinned by a commitment toend the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
What is an electric car, and how does it work?
Given the history of electric vehicles, many people still ask: how does an electric car work? Here's a straightforward explanation, particularly useful for drivers making the switch for the first time.
How does an EV car work?
Most electric vehicles are powered by lithium-ion battery packs linked to an electric motor that drives the wheels. Battery capacity is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh); the higher the kWh rating, the larger the battery and, generally, the greater the range. Cars with batteries of up to 100kWh can achieve a potential range of around 400 miles, though real-world range varies depending on speed, weight, route and weather conditions.
How does an electric car charge?
EVs use a Type 2 AC connector as standard. At home, a standard plug socket charges at around 3.7kW, enough to fully charge a 40kWh battery in just under 11 hours. A dedicated home wallbox increases this to 7kW, roughly halving the time. Public chargers range from 22kW to 150kW, with the fastest able to charge a 40kWh battery in around 15 minutes. Charging at home on an off-peak tariff is significantly cheaper than buying petrol or diesel, though exact costs depend on your energy provider and tariff.
How does an electric car drive?
EVs have a single forward gear and drive like an automatic, select drive and go. Two characteristics require brief adjustment: instant torque delivery, which makes acceleration sharper than in petrol or diesel cars, and regenerative braking, which slows the vehicle when you lift off the accelerator by feeding energy back into the battery, so you will find yourself using the brake pedal less often than you are used to.
The road ahead
The electric vehicle has come a long way from Davenport's small-scale locomotive of 1835. With battery technology continuing to improve, charging infrastructure expanding rapidly and a government-mandated end to new petrol and diesel car sales in 2030, the shift to electric is no longer a question of if, only when.
If your business is ready to explore electric vehicles for your fleet, find out more about EV solutions for your business.
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