Meet the Electric Porsche From 1898 143
cartechboy writes "We all talk about the Tesla Model S and Nissan Leaf as if electric cars are brand-new. In fact, electric cars were around long before you were alive, or your father, or maybe even your grandfather. It turns out that the very first Porsche ever built was an electric car--way back in 1898. It wasn't called a Porsche, but an 'Egger-Lohner electric vehicle, C.2 Phaeton model'--or P1 for short. Designed by Ferdinand Porsche when he was just 22 years old, it has a rear electric drive unit producing all of 3 horsepower--and an overdrive mode to boost that to a frightening 5 hp! It had an impressive range of 49 miles, not that much less than many of today's plug-in cars. Porsche recently recovered the P1 from a warehouse--where it has supposedly sat untouched since 1902--and plans to display it in original, unrestored condition at the Porsche Museum in Zuffenhausen, Germany."
Re:Generalizing much? (Score:2, Funny)
I'm willing to bet a majority of Slashdot readers have no idea electric cars were A Thing before petrol. And that Porsche created a successful hybrid not long after the vehicle in question. And I know I'd win a bet if I said 95% of ALL motorists have no idea about the history of cars. Yes, the statement is warranted esp. to an audience who is not educated on car history. You know that signifigant minority of drivers have no idea if their car is FWD, RWD or AWD and I would even think that percentage would be higher here, where knowledge of cars is scant?
And to answer a statement made later in discussion - not knowing car history is moronic? NO. It's damn well understandable given knowledge of cars is thin at best for most people and it is not relavent as well. It's only people like me who take an interest in car history that it's relavent.
Even someone who does know more than a bit about cars had no idea Porsche made a successful heavy vehicle hybrid. Hybrids were actually quite a thing it turns out for heavier vehicles as the automobile developed.
Could we have a computer analogy?