Electric vehicles or EVs are considered as the future of mobility, thanks to their advanced powertrain technologies that fundamentally feature an electric source coupled with electric motor(s) to generate power. One thing that clearly distinguishes the EVs from conventional combustion engine vehicles is the fact that EVs ensure zero emissions that makes these vehicles very environment-friendly.
Although the history of electric vehicles dates back to the start of the 19th century and electric powertrain technology is not new by any means, the acceptance for electric vehicles among common people has only started to develop from the start of 21st Century. Some significant breakthroughs have been achieved in the electric car industry in recent years and the future of electric vehicles now looks brighter and more promising than ever before.
Evolution of Electric Vehicles
The evolution of electric vehicles to the current product has not been a smooth sailing as many technological barriers have made the transition from conventional vehicles to EVs challenging and time consuming. The invention of electric vehicles cannot be pinpointed to a specific inventor or country as many scientists and automotive experts from different countries have played their role in the evolution of electric vehicles.
Let’s dig deep into different periods of EVs’ evolution and explore how baby steps and dedicated efforts brought the modern-day EVs into existence.
Also read: Top 5 Reasons to Buy an Electric Vehicle in the UAE
1832-1899 – A Slow yet Steady Start
The need for an alternative-fuel vehicle was recognized by automotive engineers and scientists at the start of 19th Century, but the progress of developing such a vehicle substantiated only after 1830. Between 1832 and 1899, the electric vehicles evolved slowly and the major emphasis of scientists and experts remained on developing a long-lasting electric battery for commercial use. The first substantial breakthrough in this regard was achieved by a Scottish inventor named Robert Anderson who invented the first crude electric carriage, which was powered by non-rechargeable primary cells.
In 1835, Thomas Davenport from America built the first practical electric vehicle that was small in size and powered by a direct current electric motor.
In 1859, a major contribution from French scientists improved the capacity and capability of batteries to be used in electric vehicles. Gaston Plante, a physicist, invented the rechargeable lead-acid storage battery and then in 1981, another French scientist Camille Faure improved the ability of this battery to supply current. He also went on to invent the basic lead-acid battery, which was then commonly used in automobiles.
From 1890 to 1900 was a decade where electric vehicles enjoyed great success because the technologies improved and major automotive companies started to invest heavily in electric cars. In 1891, the first successfully developed electric car was introduced in the U.S. by William Morrison. After this, many other companies introduced their own electric vehicles and a Connecticut based Pope Manufacturing Company started producing electric vehicles on a large scale in 1897.
In 1899, Thomas Edison started working on improving the efficiency and capabilities of the electric battery used in automobiles. His efforts made significant improvements in the functioning of alkaline batteries used in commercial vehicles.
Also read: New Regulations Set for Electric Vehicles in the UAE
1900-1960 – Electric Car Industry Goes through Serious Turmoil
While the start of the 20th Century proved to be productive for electric vehicles with the sales of EVs surging in the United States in 1900, the next few decades recorded almost zero growth and the demise of electric cars seemed unavoidable. The combustion engine vehicles became more popular with inventions made to improve the combustion powertrain technologies.
The downfall of electric cars could be attributed to following factors in this era:
- Easy availability of gasoline at cheap rates
- Higher cost of electric cars
- Better horsepower of conventional combustion engine cars
- Progress made in developing fuel-efficient combustion engines
- Poor mile per charge range of electric cars
All these factors contributed towards the decline of the electric car industry. In 1908, the mass production of Model T by Henry Ford extremely affected the growth of electric vehicles as Model T was one of the most advanced gasoline-powered vehicles of that time. With better power attributes, enhanced mileage and impressive overall performance, the Model T became popular in car markets in no time. The electric car industry entered dark ages and remained stagnant until 1960.
Also read: Top 5 Electric Cars to Buy this Summer in the UAE
1960-2000 – The Demand for Electric Vehicles Rises Again
Gas shortages and soaring oil prices after the Arab Oil Embargo made conventional combustion engine cars a considerably expensive commute option. It was also the time when global automotive bodies started to find means of reducing air pollution caused by the combustion engine vehicles and recognized electric vehicles as a possible eco-friendly alternative to conventional vehicles. Many countries, particularly the United States, invested heavily in the research and development process of electric vehicles and many significant strides were made to enhance the capabilities of electric cars in this era.
In 1971, NASA developed its first electric lunar rover that became the first manned vehicle to be driven on the moon and this proved to be a huge breakthrough in the evolution of electric vehicles.
Image courtesy: https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/a15/images15.html
In 1973, General Motors built a prototype that was revealed at the first Symposium of Environmental Protection Agency. Around the same time, the American Motor Company developed electric delivery Jeeps and 350 Jeeps were sold to the U.S. Postal Service in a test program.
The years between 1970 and 1990 witnessed steady progress in the electric car industry as the major emphasis in this era remained on research and development to explore new avenues of growth for electric cars. During this time, many automakers had also started to develop electric versions of their existing combustion engine vehicles. GM Motors produced the EV1 and continued to develop it from 1966 to 1999 when its production was officially called off due to high production costs. EV1 was considered as the world’s most efficient production electric vehicle of its time.
Also read: All-electric Chevrolet Corvette Sets New Speed Record for Electric Cars
21st Century – A New Beginning for Electric Vehicles
The foundation for a new beginning for electric cars was already laid in the 20th Century through extensive research and growing acceptance for vehicles like EV1 and other EVs of that time. In the late 1990s, Toyota made the biggest breakthrough in producing an alternative-fuel vehicle and launched its first Hybrid vehicle, Toyota Prius. It proved to be a big hit amongst car enthusiasts and started a new era for hybrid and electric vehicles that would promise enhanced drive range and advanced electric battery technologies. Toyota Prius used a nickel metal hybrid battery, which improved the efficiency of the vehicle and added to the popularity of the alternative-fuel vehicles across the globe.
Also read: 2017 Toyota Prius Prime – Innovative Hybrid with Improved Mileage
The Popularity Graph Goes Up for Electric Vehicles
After the success of Toyota Prius, other car makers started to produce electric vehicles on a large scale and many new EVs including Honda EV Plus, Ford Ranger Pickup EV, Nissan Altra EV, Toyota RAV4 and Chevrolet S-10 EV were launched. Another major development that reshaped the future of electric vehicles was the announcement of a luxury electric sports car with an expected range of 200 miles on a single charge by Tesla Motors, a Silicon Valley startup. Since then, Tesla has continued to produce state-of-the-art electric vehicles and has won wide acclaim for producing all-electric vehicles including Tesla Model S, Tesla Model X and Tesla Model 3.
Elon Musk visits Dubai for official Tesla launch in the UAE – https://t.co/DrDeUB1SRF pic.twitter.com/yRCQeVaN1n
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 13, 2017
In no time, Tesla has become the most sought-after electric car maker in the world because of some unbelievable technological innovations introduced in Tesla’s electric vehicles.
Other than Tesla, all major car brands including BMW, Ford, Chevrolet, Nissan, Honda and many others have started to produce various models of their electric vehicles and the sales of electric vehicles have started to pick up immensely in recent years. The year 2016 recorded the highest demand for electric vehicles in the global markets with over 2 million electric vehicles sold.
Also read: Tesla Model S and Model X Updated for Enhanced Performance
Future of Electric Vehicles
The future of electric vehicles looks more promising than ever before, thanks to the extensive research and collaborative efforts by global automotive bodies to find means of eco-friendly commuting. The acceptance for electric cars among the common public is gradually building up, but it is a fact that more electric vehicles can now be seen on roads than ever before.
The modern-day electric vehicles have also improved on their exterior appeal and availability of luxurious amenities in the interior. This is something that electric vehicles were not really known for a few decade ago, but to provide the best of everything to their customers, car brands are now giving attention to ever possible detail in their electric cars. One problem that electric car industry still faces is the higher production cost of these vehicles as compared to the conventional vehicles. It also adds to the base price of production models, which limits the customer base of electric vehicles significantly.
Role of the UAE Government in Promoting EVs in the UAE
The UAE government has launched initiatives for electric car buyers and owners to promote the sales of electric vehicles in the country. These initiatives include free parking benefits, discount on the purchase of new cars and much more. Additionally, electric car buyers are offered exclusive green registration, green insurance and green bank loans, which has made buying electric vehicles easier and affordable than ever before.
#MOENR would like to thank all entities and people who contributed in supporting incentives for using (EV). pic.twitter.com/9538suk23E
— وزارة الطاقة | UAE (@MOENRUAE) May 10, 2017
Read our blog to learn about all the incentives and benefits being offered to electric car owners and buyers in the UAE.
With such initiatives and further evolution of electric car technologies, the electric vehicles can certainly push the boundaries and make it big in the years to come.
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