TIL a fleet of electric taxi cars was first introduced to London, UK in 1897
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Bersey Electric Cab - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bersey_Electric_Cab
We've gone full circle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bersey_Electric_Cab
We've gone full circle
The electric car predates cars powered by internal combustion engines. Before coal and oil took over, society was more or less powered with biofuels like wood and alternative energy sources like water wheels and windmills.
Imagine if development of these electric vehicles continued back then - the internal combustion engine would've been rendered all but obsolete.
Doubtful. Internal Combustion engines took off well before the petroleum industry was obscenely wealthy. Coal/Railroad had a vested interest in keeping cars as a rich person toy rather then as something to build a society around. ICE powered by Oil/Kerosene was and IS much more energy dense then batteries were then, and are today. You have more energy per unit volume in a gallon of gas then even the most exotic batteries. That directly translates to more power, more distance, and more opportunity for miniaturization.
I reckon primarily the energy density and the convenience of merely filling up. Electric cars would not have had the raw power and ease of combustion engines. At least battery tech has now caught up.
If nothing else, they would've faced the same limitations with battery capacity as we are today.
We've had many technologies that would drastically help humanity for a very long time, but capitalistic assholes have to constantly fuck it all up. Money is not the problem, but the greed for more will kill us all.
Musk fans thinking he invented the electric car. I'm not sure though that anyone actually thinks that.