Baker Electrics - the Aristocrats of Motordom
Creation Date - 1910
Description - Baker Electrics / The Aristocrats of Motordom
Brand
Style/Period - American
Culture - American
https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/picturecollection_vintageadvertisements/231/
20 replies
Wow... I was not expecting a RISD link. oO
But I didn't know EV's went back this far, either. That art is something else, and I'm still reading up on these suckers!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baker_Motor_Vehicle
Here is a video of Jay Leno's Baker Electric. Seems like quite a practical car. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhnjMdzGusc&t=167
So cool! I didn't think there could be any left in driving condition. Thanks
If there was one Lenno would have it, and drive it.
Very true. He has a super interesting collection.
There's nothing special about EVs; the idea was obvious (and a lot more straightforward than an internal-combustion car, for that matter). They just didn't take off because the batteries sucked.
RISD, and the Inquisition, an I right?
Oh, that one's a bit too insider-ish for me. I was on the periphery of some RISD artists for some years, that's all. Really fun to be around that talent & creativity.
What's a RISD artist?
Edit: I guess it's "Rhode Island School of Design", which is where the post links to. Me slow
I don't see who's driving in the advert!?
yeah I was kinda trying to figure that out to.
@[email protected]
From the video that @[email protected] posted, the man in the top hat would be driving with a tiller (not a steering wheel) at lap height https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhnjMdzGusc&t=167
wow. that is just wild. Im wondering if they were way more expensive because I feel compared to the competition I would think it would take over. Yeah it was slower but I would rather ride in that than a model t.
The Model T was famously one of the most affordable vehicles ever sold to the point it revolutionized american transportation, while the Baker electric was marketed to rich city people and women, so I expect it would be quite a bit pricier.
Cheers for the mention.
Thanks for tht video :) I knew there were electric vehicles back then but not about things like the network of charging stations in NYC etc
I Know! News to me too.
Early Baker Electrics had a 'boat tiller' style steering and accelerator. This meant you sat on the back bench seat and drove. The tiller was in the middle so you could sit on either side.
They were very popular with physicians, who did home visits, were often in a hurry, and didn't want to get their hands dirty cranking to start a gas-powered car.
My father (very conservative) likes to mention an electric truck that was at his trade school that was “filled with batteries” and a failure.
I like to mention that we had feasible electric vehicles 100 years ago.
My point is, calling an entire technology a failure because of one bad trade school project is ridiculous.
Who's the sweet electric whip, that's a sex machine to all the chicks?
(Shaft drive!)
You're damn right!