[cleanspeed1]

Originally Posted by WVengr

Yeah, I have heard about the Hybrid that Porsche made in the late 1800's early 1900's, the Fuel Cell car that Desoto was trying to build before it was no more, and that electric cars outnumbered combustion engines on the road around 1900. The question I have is why, after 100+ years of automotive innovation, and all these amazing ideas, does my brother's Escort get the same gas mileage as the 53 Nash that frequents the car shows I go to?

One of the prime examples of nothing new in the auto industry, a 1909 Studebaker electric car, with a range of 85 miles. It also could also carry 12 passengers.



Saw this thing in person, it is truly an amazing vehicle.

To answer that question will take us down a rabbit hole, and part of it involves the government mandating planned obsolescense (sic) in 1957.