This 1918 EV Had 42 Batteries And More Range Than A 2011 Leaf

A 1918 Detroit Electric Model 75B went under the hammer at Monterey Car Week claiming an original 80 miles of range, against the 73 miles the first Nissan Leaf was rated for. The format died because of the electric starter and a price five times a Model T, not because of range.

A 1918 Detroit Electric went under the hammer at Monterey Car Week claiming 80 miles of range. The first Nissan Leaf, sold in 2011, was rated by the EPA at 73.

The comparison needs handling. The 80 miles was an advertising figure for a car that topped out at 20 mph, the Leaf’s 73 came from a regulated test cycle, and this particular Model 75B has since been refitted with modern batteries.

The original engineering was not a novelty. Forty-two lead-acid batteries, 21 at the front and 21 at the rear, fed a single 4.28 horsepower motor mounted...

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