Charging an Electric Car in 1905

buster

buster

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Saw this pic on a History Pics site. Can't vouch for the accuracy but I've seen these before.

IMG_0388.JPG
 
Spare batteries on top of the crate in the right lower corner of the pic? Looks like they might be charging the spares as there is a giant box (chargers?) with wires around. Must have been extra heavy back in the day.
 
MRC01 said:
Extra heavy today too. At roughly 5,000 lbs (plus or minus depending on model) Teslas weigh nearly twice what a normal car does. As does a Taycan.
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Yep. But they don't drive like it, because of the low center of gravity. Our Model 3 Mid Range is pig heavy, but is an excelent driver's car.
And the "right now" torque makes them feel faster than they actually are. Of course, they are fast...
 
JeffKeryk said:
Yep. But they don't drive like it, because of the low center of gravity. Our Model 3 Mid Range is pig heavy, but is an excelent driver's car.
And the "right now" torque makes them feel faster than they actually are. Of course, they are fast...
Click to expand...
My experience differs. At the Porsche experience at our local racetrack last summer, driving the Taycan felt like a high performance monorail. It had good acceleration, held the road well, the suspension was tight, but it was so dang heavy you could really feel it in the turns. In comparison, the 911 and 718 were much more nimble and felt like go-carts.
 
I don't know what year this is, but here's a gal charging her car. I saw a charger like this at the Peterson... it didn't look to be plug and play. Lots of switches and dials to adjust. Probably couldn't just plug it in and
early-electric-car-SCHENECTADY-MUSEUM-HALL-OF-ELECTRICAL-HISTORY-FOUNDATION-CORBIS.jpg
leave it.
 
2heeldrive said:
I don't know what year this is, but here's a gal charging her car. I saw a charger like this at the Peterson... it didn't look to be plug and play. Lots of switches and dials to adjust. Probably couldn't just plug it in and
early-electric-car-SCHENECTADY-MUSEUM-HALL-OF-ELECTRICAL-HISTORY-FOUNDATION-CORBIS.jpg
leave it.
Click to expand...
Whoa that is some Frankenstein grade equipment. You really had to know what to do back then, definitely not for your average user, even today.
 
This page also has the second picture and dates it "about 1904." https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/design/blog/charging-your-car-s-battery-in-1898.html The mercury rectifier, which is the critical part of the AC grid powered garage charger shown, was invented in 1902. This was a charging "stable," a municipal or commercial place where cars were brought to be charged. The woman in the picture is likely an attendant rather than the car owner. Note that she's wearing a rubber glove for safety, but also a metal bracelet which is not safe.

The car outdoors in the first picture looks like a later body style, and possibly a steering wheel instead of a tiller. I don't think it's a Baker, those were very boxy.
 
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mk378 said:
This page also has the second picture and dates it "about 1904." https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/design/blog/charging-your-car-s-battery-in-1898.html The mercury rectifier, which is the critical part of the AC grid powered garage charger shown, was invented in 1902. This was a charging "stable," a municipal or commercial place where cars were brought to be charged. The woman in the picture is likely an attendant rather than the car owner.

The car outdoors in the first picture looks like a later body style, and possibly a steering wheel instead of a tiller. I don't think it's a Baker, those were very boxy.
Click to expand...
Could that women be Elon Musks great grand mother?
 
1908 Fritchle, 100 mile range and 10,000 mile battery life according to one description. And that's said to be the "home" charger.
270dc3c5-b0c6-49d4-b3d1-58c3c8027a85.jpg
 
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