| Battery Electric Vehicles or BEVs, predated the | | | | load for electric motors. |
| Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles. It was | | | | Battery electric vehicles were limited to niche |
| between 1832-1839 that Robert Anderson, a Scottish | | | | applications. Forklift trucks were battery electric |
| businessman, invented the first electric carriage and | | | | vehicles when introduced in 1923. BEV golf carts |
| Professor Sibrandus Stratingh from the Netherlands | | | | which were used as neighborhood electric vehicles |
| designed the first small-scale electric car which was | | | | and were partially "street legal". By the late 1930s, |
| built by his assistant Christopher Becker in 1835. | | | | the electric automobile industry had disappeared until |
| The storage battery improved, firstly by Gaston | | | | the invention of the point contact transistor in 1947 |
| Planté, a French physicist who invented the | | | | which started a new era of electric vehicle. |
| lead acid cell in 1859 and the first rechargeable | | | | In 1959 the Henney Kilowatt was introduced and was |
| battery. Then, in 1881, Camille Faure developed a | | | | the world's first modern transistor-regulated electric |
| more efficient and reliable battery which became so | | | | car and the predecessor to the more recent battery |
| successful in the early electric cars. This discovery | | | | electric vehicles such as General Motors EV1. Only 47 |
| caused battery electric vehicles to flourish, with | | | | Henney Kilowatts were produced, 24 being sold as |
| France and Great Britain being the first nations to | | | | 1959 models and 8 as 1960 models. It is not clear |
| support widespread development of electric vehicles. | | | | what happened to the other 15 built but it could be |
| Prior to 1900, battery electric vehicles held many | | | | possible that they were sold as 1961 or 1962 models. |
| speed and distance records, the most notable of | | | | None of the 8 1960 models were sold to the public |
| which, was the breaking of the 100 km/h (60 mph) | | | | because of the high manufacturing costs, but were |
| speed barrier. It was by Camille Jenatzy on April 29, | | | | sold to the electric cooperatives who funded the |
| 1899 in a rocket-shaped vehicle named Jamais | | | | project. |
| Contente (Never Happy) which reached a top speed | | | | It is estimated that there are between four and |
| of 105.88 km/h (65.79 mph). | | | | eight Henney Kilowatt battery electric vehicles still in |
| During the early 20th Century, battery electric | | | | existence with at least two of the survivors still |
| vehicles outsold gasoline powered vehicles and were | | | | driven periodically. |
| successfully sold as town cars to upper-class | | | | Battery electric vehicles have had issues with high |
| customers. Because of technological limitations, these | | | | battery costs, with limited travel distances, with |
| cars were limited to a top speed of about 32 km/h | | | | charging time and the lifespan of the battery, |
| (20 mph). The cars were marketed as "suitable | | | | although advancements in battery technology has |
| vehicles for women drivers". Electric vehicles did not | | | | addressed many of those problems. |
| need hand-cranking to start. | | | | At the present time, controversy reigns over battery |
| One of the downfalls of the battery electric vehicle | | | | electric vehicles. Campaigners, (et al) for BEV's are |
| was the introduction of the electric starter in 1913. It | | | | accusing three major US automobile manufacturers |
| simplified the task of starting an internal combustion | | | | of deliberately sabotaging BEV efforts through |
| engine which was previously difficult and dangerous | | | | several methods, for instance, failing to market, failing |
| to start with the crank handle. Another was the | | | | to produce appropriate vehicles, by failing to satisfy |
| mass-produced and relatively cheap Ford Model-T. | | | | demand and using lease-only programs with |
| Finally, the loss of Edisons direct current electric | | | | prohibitions against end of lease purchase. |
| power transmission system. He was battling with | | | | In their defense, the three major manufacturers they |
| George Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla over their | | | | have responded that they only make what the public |
| desire to introduce alternating current as the principal | | | | want and the current trend is that the public doesn't |
| electricity distribution. Edison's direct current was the | | | | want battery electric vehicles. |