The first practical electric car was the 1890 Morrison Electric, but the first truly successful and mass-produced EV was the 1996 General Motors EV1. It was a revolutionary vehicle leased to customers, not sold, and became a cultural icon despite its limited production run. The EV1's story is a key piece of automotive history that set the stage for today's electric revolution.
The journey began much earlier. The Morrison Electric, built in Des Moines, Iowa, was a six-passenger wagon that could reach a top speed of 14 mph. However, the high cost and limited range of early batteries made gasoline-powered cars the dominant technology for most of the 20th century.
The modern electric car era was sparked by California's 1990 Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate. In response, General Motors developed the EV1, the first purpose-built electric car from a major automaker in the modern era. It featured advanced technologies like regenerative braking, an aluminum frame, and a lead-acid battery (later a more advanced NiMH battery). With a driving range of about 70-140 miles depending on the battery pack, it proved electric cars could be practical for daily use. Despite a loyal following, GM controversially canceled the program in the early 2000s and recalled and crushed most of the vehicles, a story famously documented in the film Who Killed the Electric Car?.
The EV1's legacy is immense. It demonstrated consumer demand and directly influenced the development of later EVs, including the Tesla Roadster and the current generation of electric vehicles.
| Early Electric Vehicle Milestones | Year | Vehicle Name | Key Fact | Top Speed (Approx.) | Significance |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| First Crude Electric Carriage | 1832 | Robert Anderson's Vehicle | Non-rechargeable power cells | 2-3 mph | Proof of concept |
| First Rechargeable EV | 1881 | Trouvé Tricycle | Used lead-acid batteries | 7 mph | Introduced recharging |
| First American EV | 1890 | Morrison Electric | 6-passenger wagon | 14 mph | First practical US EV |
| EV "Golden Age" Example | 1912 | Detroit Electric | Advertised 80-mile range | 20 mph | Popular urban vehicle |
| First Modern Mass-Produced EV | 1996 | GM EV1 | 70-140 mile range | 80 mph | Catalyst for modern EVs |
| First Highway-Capable EV (Li-ion) | 2008 | Tesla Roadster | 245-mile range | 125 mph | Proved EV performance & appeal |
