The History of Electric Vehicles - The Early Years (1890 - 1930)

From About.com

Between 1832 and 1839 (the exact year is uncertain), Robert Anderson of Scotland invented the first crude electric carriage. A small-scale electric car was designed by Professor Stratingh of Groningen, Holland, and built by his assistant Christopher Becker in 1835. Practical and more successful electric road vehicles were invented by both American Thomas Davenport and Scotsmen Robert Davidson around 1842. Both inventors were the first to use non-rechargeable electric cells. Frenchmen Gaston Plante invented a better storage battery in 1865 and his fellow countrymen Camille Faure improved the storage battery in 1881. This improved-capacity storage battery paved the way for electric vehicles to flourish.

France and Great Britain were the first nations to support the widespread development of electric vehicles in the late 1800s. In 1899, a Belgian built electric racing car called "La Jamais Contente" set a world record for land speed - 68 mph - designed by Camille Jénatzy.

It was not until 1895 that Americans began to devote attention to electric vehicles after an electric tricycle was built by A. L. Ryker and William Morrison built a six-passenger wagon both in 1891. Many innovations followed and interest in motor vehicles increased greatly in the late 1890s and early 1900s. In 1897, the first commercial application was established as a fleet of New York City taxis built by the Electric Carriage and Wagon Company of Philadelphia.

The early electric vehicles, such as the 1902 Wood's Phaeton (top image), were little more than electrified horseless carriages and surreys. The Phaeton had a range of 18 miles, a top speed of 14 mph and cost $2,000. Later in 1916, Woods invented a hybrid car that had both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.

By the turn of the century, America was prosperous and cars, now available in steam, electric, or gasoline versions, were becoming more popular. The years 1899 and 1900 were the high point of electric cars in America, as they outsold all other types of cars.

Electric vehicles had many advantages over their competitors in the early 1900s. They did not have the vibration, smell, and noise associated with gasoline cars. Changing gears on gasoline cars was the most difficult part of driving, while electric vehicles did not require gear changes. While steam-powered cars also had no gear shifting, they suffered from long start-up times of up to 45 minutes on cold mornings. The steam cars had less range before needing water than an electric's range on a single charge. The only good roads of the period were in town, causing most travel to be local commuting, a perfect situation for electric vehicles, since their range was limited. The electric vehicle was the preferred choice of many because it did not require the manual effort to start, as with the hand crank on gasoline vehicles, and there was no wrestling with a gear shifter.

While basic electric cars cost under $1,000, most early electric vehicles were ornate, massive carriages designed for the upper class. They had fancy interiors, with expensive materials, and averaged $3,000 by 1910. Electric vehicles enjoyed success into the 1920s with production peaking in 1912.

The decline of the electric vehicle was brought about by several major developments:
By the 1920s, America had a better system of roads that now connected cities, bringing with it the need for longer-range vehicles.

The discovery of Texas crude oil reduced the price of gasoline so that it was affordable to the average consumer. The invention of the electric starter by Charles Kettering in 1912 eliminated the need for the hand crank.

The initiation of mass production of internal combustion engine vehicles by Henry Ford made these vehicles widely available and affordable in the $500 to $1,000 price range. By contrast, the price of the less efficiently produced electric vehicles continued to rise. In 1912, an electric roadster sold for $1,750, while a gasoline car sold for $650.



50 Cent, Jay-Z & Oprah Among Celebs Subpoenaed In $900 Mil Lawsuit Against Canada

From HipHop-Universe.com

50 Cent, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and Oprah Winfrey are reportedly among over three dozen celebrities who have been subpoenaed to testify in a Detroit producer's $900 million federal lawsuit accusing Canadian border officials of discriminating against rappers and African-Americans.

As SOHH previously reported, Jerome Almon, CEO of Detroit-based label, Murdercap Records, filed the lawsuit in January, claiming that for over a decade he has faced lengthy interrogations and has been consistently turned away when trying to cross the Canadian border. Almon says he is not the only one facing this problem, claiming he shares this experience with a slew of hip-hop's most popular rappers.

Almon's suit blames Canada's alleged prejudice on African Americans and rappers "in an effort to both blame them for the increased gang violence and gun murders in the cities of Toronto and Vancouver."

According to The Detroit Press, Almon subpoenaed black celebrities such as Oprah, Spike Lee and Snoop on Wednesday (August 22) because he wants them to testify about their own problems when trying to enter Canada.

The Detroit CEO has not ended there, also subpoening white celebrities as well, such as Martha Stewart and Paris Hilton, who have both done jail time, to testify about how comparatively easy it is for them to cross the border.

"The Canadian government is dirty, they know it and I know it," Almon told SOHH. "They been caught and now they trying' to figure out how they keep the rest of the rap stars like 50 Cent, Eminem, Jay-Z , etc from suing them too."

Almon feels now is the time for all in hip-hop to pull together, and this is as good a time to start as any. "There is a global war on hip-hop, they blaming us for everything and anything, and we got to stand up right now," he continued. "We got to take our hands out of our pockets and drop our backhand on them."

Almon is not alone in questioning the treatment of rappers hoping to cross the boarder. As SOHH previously reported, during a stop on his 2005 tour, 50 Cent expressed his frustration with Canadian Immigration after key members of G-Unit, including Young Buck and Tony Yayo, were denied entry into the country.

"Somebody got shot the other day and they said it was my fault and didn't want to let me in the country," 50 told a Vancouver crowd. "I was in immigration for about two hours today and I thought about turning back. Young Buck got turned back. And Tony Yayo, Mobb Deep and M.O.P. But I stuck it out...@#*$ the police!"

According to the Detroit Free Press, Canadian officials have denied that they discriminate on the basis of race. Lawrence A. Dubin, a law professor at the University Of Detroit Mercy School Of Law, revealed to the Detroit News that he doubts the celebrities will show up to give depositions in Almon's lawsuit. He also added that the celebrities who receive the subpoenas can seek court orders to overturn them.

"Without being well-versed on the facts of the case, I think that autograph-seekers should not start lining up for the event," Dubin explained. The celebrities' depositions in Almon's lawsuit are scheduled to take place at the Cobo Center in Detroit on September 22. Emails sent to the Canadian immigration office have not been answered at press time.




Bolivia Denounces US Interference

From Prensa Latina

Bolivia's Minister of the Presidency, Juan Ramon Quintana, accused the United States on Wednesday of interfering in the process of changes being boosted by the Evo Morales government, and demanded that cooperation must adjust to local standards.

At a press conference, Quintana showed evidence of US interference, saying that Washington's economic assistance is handled discretionally and that the "doors are open" for the US to leave if it does not adjust to local politics.

According to Quintana, of the 130 million dollars that Bolivia received this year, 81 million dollars are "freely available" to the US Embassy in La Paz and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Therefore, he said, 70 percent of that aid is used discretionally, without government control.

Quintana also disclosed the names of people and institutions that receive large sums of money from USAID by concept of consultancy work, which is aimed at interfering in the process of change demanded by the Bolivian people.

The minister questioned the transparency of US collaboration and said that from now on, the US Embassy must comply with Bolivian laws and rules or leave the country.

He made it clear that the government's stance is not aimed at breaking relations with the United States or the collaboration that the country receives, but it is an invitation to Washington to adjust to the norms and guidelines of the Bolivian State.