Appropriately from, The Electric Vehicle Company, 1890's. The company had a fleet of 'electrobats' - electric taxi cabs and dreamed of creating a monopoly of urban transportation businesses. The limited range problem of having to stop for every two hours to charge the batteries was addressed by swapping the heavy lead acid batteries at their facilities. This kept the cabs running around the clock and their routes. The company inevitably failed not because of the system but because of ambitious over-expansion and lack of battery stock and maintenance.
Columbia - Electric Vehicle Company - Charging Station
Even have the same underside hydraulic ram platform.
http://www.kcstudio.com/colha0998dd.jpg