What was the first electric car on the market?

Spain has seen a 3% increase in interest in acquiring an electric vehicle in any of its three variants compared to 2022. Total sales of electric vehicles (whether fully electric or hybrid) are projected to exceed 100,000 units in 2023. This places Spain as one of the European countries with the greatest potential in the automotive industry, according to the most recent report by the EY Mobility Consumer Index.

In less than a decade, Europe has discovered a new reality and acknowledged the urgency of adopting new energy solutions in the transport sector. Although the number of electric vehicles on the road is not yet high, there has undoubtedly been a significant change from 2010 to today.

Measures have been implemented in the main European cities to promote the adoption of these types of vehicles. These actions are not necessarily drastic, but are part of the logic that an innovative market is opening up. It is essential to raise awareness of the advantages of electric vehicles and to stimulate their use and acquisition.

The presence of electric vehicles on the roads is currently becoming more and more widespread, as well as the addition of an increasing number of public transport vehicles with a view to achieving zero emissions. But what was the first electric car in history and when did it emerge?

First electric car

In the mid-19th century, the first electric cars emerged as an alternative to vehicles with internal combustion engines, which were noisy, polluting, and difficult to start. These early electric cars used rechargeable lead-acid batteries, developed in France by Gaston Planté in 1852 and later improved by Camille Faure in 1880.

Electric vehicles are characterized by their propulsion by a motor that obtains its energy from an electrical source, which is then converted into kinetic energy. The most commonly used technology currently for this purpose is lithium-ion batteries, although there are also other alternatives available.

The first electric vehicle appeared in Germany in 1888, it was the Flocken Elektrowagen, a car created by Andreas Flocken. It was designed as a buggy with a 0.7 kW motor, a 100 kg battery and could reach speeds approaching 15 km/h.

Following the introduction of the rechargeable battery, the electric car experienced a remarkable boom in theearly 20th century, especially in urban environments. The first prominent commercial users were New York taxi drivers. According to some historians, about one-third of vehicles on the road in the United States were electric in 1900. In addition, according to some sources, these electric vehicles outsold combustion vehicles in 1899 and 1900.

The challenge faced by the electric car, as it is today, lay in the lack of an adequate electrical infrastructure. This difficulty was compounded during the onset of World War I, when the internal combustion engine, which offered greater range, speed, and power, played a crucial role in the mechanization of warfare.

The first electric car in Spain 

In Spain, the first electric vehicle was built by Catalan engineer Emilio de la Cuadra in 1899. This pioneering automobile was a tricycle equipped with an electric motor powered by lead-acid batteries. In addition, it was capable of carrying two people and reached a top speed of 20 km/h.

The companies that invested in electric vehicles in this period include La Hispano-Suiza, La Cuadra, Castro and Electromecánica, all of which contributed to the manufacture of electric cars. These vehicles offered a range ranging from 60 to 100 km, with top speeds between 30 and 50 km/h.

Nonetheless, the progress of the internal combustion vehicle, driven by engine improvements, cost reductions, and the expansion of road and gas station networks, resulted in a loss of ground for the electric vehicle. There were also difficulties in the production of batteries due to a shortage of raw materials during the two world wars and this contributed to the decline.

In Spain, the Civil War dealt a significant blow to the automotive industry in general and in particular to the electric vehicle. The post-war period was characterised by economic isolation and a lack of technological innovation, which led to the electric vehicle being set aside for marginal uses, such as golf carts and industrial vehicles.

Interest in electric vehicles returned from the 1990s, with both public and private initiatives aimed at boosting research into and the development and implementation of this technology. Well-known companies, such as SEAT, Renault, Nissan, Peugeot and Citroën, have opted for electric vehicles. These cars incorporate lithium-ion batteries, which offer higher capacity, durability, and safety compared to lead-acid batteries.

The electric vehicle has now become established as an enduring reality. Its history in Spain and its evolution indicate that it is a technology adaptable to social, economic and environmental changes. Undoubtedly, it represents an opportunity to move towards cleaner, more efficient and smarter mobility.