There was a time when a car would have been regarded as a newfangled contraption. I'm not sure that the prompt falls into that category.
At a time when we are told that the great motor city of Detroit is in trouble we may need reminding that not all newfangled ideas caught on.
However manufacturers had been long sighted enough to have to have a highly valued electric car. This one with the delightful name of Grandma Ducks Car made it to the Brussels Autoworld Museum in 1916
For other way out contraptions - newfangled or otherwise - drive over to Sepia-Saturday-189.
 |
| Detroit Electric Car Charging - 1919 |
(By Cress-Dale Photo Co, Seattle - Library of Congress)
However manufacturers had been long sighted enough to have to have a highly valued electric car. This one with the delightful name of Grandma Ducks Car made it to the Brussels Autoworld Museum in 1916
 |
| (By Teesu Mantynen, Salo, Finland - CC BY-SA 2.0) |
In this car both the bonnet and boot spaced were used to carry batteries used to propel the car. The Brougham body was typical of American cars which were appreciated in city use for being clean and quiet. They were highly valued for social events such as parties, galas and theatre visits.
We are right to ask whether the car industry has learned anything since.
Detroit cars made it all round the world and here's an early one I would have liked, but it was before my time.
 |
| A 1925 Gray Tourer (made in Detroit) in Brisbane, Australia |
I know nothing about today's electric cars either in Detroit or in the UK. The local TV in North East England recently reported that 25% of charging points for electric cars in the area had never been used. And only last week there was a report that the Liberal Democrats were considering adopting a policy of banning petrol and diesel cars from 2041. Guess that's an idea that I shall never see - it would make me 104!
