Historical development (root) of Automobiles

In 1900, steam technology was advanced. The advantages of steam-powered cars included high performance in terms of power and speed. However, the disadvantages of steam-powered cars included poor fuel economy and the need to “fire up the boiler” before driving. Feed water was a necessary input for steam engine, therefore could not tolerate the loss of fresh water. Later, Steam condensers were applied to the steam car to solve the feed water problem. However, by that time Gasoline cars had won the marketing battle.

Gasoline cars of 1900 were noisy, dirty, smelly, cantankerous, and unreliable. In comparison, electric cars were comfortable, quiet, clean, and fashionable. Ease of control was also a desirable feature. Lead acid batteries were used in 1900 and are still used in modern cars. Hence lead acid batteries have a long history (since 1881) of use as a viable energy storage device. Golden age of Electrical vehicle marked from 1890 to 1924 with peak production of electric vehicles in 1912. However, the range was limited by energy storage in the battery. After every trip, the battery required recharging. At the 1924 automobile show, no electric cars were on display. This announced the end of the Golden Age of electric-powered cars.

The range of a gasoline car was far superior to that of either a steam or an electric car and dominated the automobile market from 1924 to 1960. The gasoline car had one dominant feature; it used gasoline as a fuel. The modern period starts with the oil embargoes and the gasoline shortages during the 1970s which created long lines at gas stations. Engineers recognized that the good features of the gasoline engine could be combined with those of the electric motor to produce a superior car. A marriage of the two yields the hybrid automobile.

Figure 3: Historical development of automobile and development of interest and activity in the EV from 1890 to present day. Electric Vehicle merged into hybrid electric vehicle.