PROSPECTS FOR THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE -- A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

The commercial failure of the electric vehicle in the first decades of this century was due to a number of factors, but one which has not yet been remarked upon by historians was the lack of interest of most electric utility companies in the vehicle charging business. Electric vehicles needed careful maintenance to preserve their expensive and not very durable batteries, and in those businesses which were too small to use more than a few vehicles and which could not afford to operate charging and maintenance facilities, this was a serious drawback to their ability to use electric vehicles. It is suggested that such lack of utility company support of the early electric vehicle may point out a lesson for the future acceptance of the electric vehicle.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00189359
• Corporate Authors:

  Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

  3 Park Avenue, 17th Floor
  New York, NY  United States  10016-5997
• Authors:
  • Schallenberg, R H
• Publication Date: 1980-8

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 137-143
• Serial:
  • IEEE Transactions on Education
  • Volume: E-23
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
  • ISSN: 0018-9359

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Durability; Electric batteries; Electric power; Electric power supply; Electric vehicles; Energy consumption; Maintenance; Storage batteries; Vehicle maintenance; Vehicle performance
• Old TRIS Terms: Charging; Storage battery vehicles
• Subject Areas: Energy; Finance; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00329718
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Engineering Index
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 15 1981 12:00AM