Origin: Indianapolis, IN
Engine: 55 2-Volt Batteries
Transmission: 4-Speed Manual
While many may think of electric cars as a modern invention with the advent of Teslas, the concept is much older than it originally appears. In fact, here is an electric car from over 100 years ago!
In 1907, the Waverley Group spun off from Pope-Waverley, the result of a partnership between the Pope Manufacturing Company and the International Motor Car Company, when founder Albert Augustus Pope filed for bankruptcy. Pope Manufacturing had been producing electric cars since 1897, and Pope-Waverley had been making electric cars since 1903. The Waverley Group continued this tradition until 1915, when Pope Manufacturing finally folded. Despite how forward-thinking Pope had been, the electric cars were edged out of the market because gas was easier to manage than battery packs. Still, the likes of Thomas Edison, Madam C. J. Walker, and Genevra Delphine Mudge (the first licensed woman driver in the US) all drove Waverleys.
This Waverley was one of the last to be made, with a price tag of $2,800. Completely silent, it has a top speed of 20 mph and can go 35 miles before running out of charge. Under the hood are 55 2-volt batteries. For comparison, modern batteries (AA, AAA, C, D) are 1.5 volts. But its solid workmanship cannot be denied. It still works to this day!