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Was a Tesla the first electric car?
I’ve been looking into buying a Tesla and found out their brand started back in the early 2000s. Did they invent the first electric car?
Hana Sabah · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
No! In fact,
electric cars
date all the way back to the late 1800’s. Many sources claim that, in 1890, a man named William Morris began making the first electric car in Des Moines, Iowa. The buggy-like car sat six people and had a top speed of 14 mph. After its release, electric car companies began to spring up, eager to capitalize on the emerging market. Some had great success, though not for long. By the time the 1920s rolled around, combustion engines began dominating the market, squeezing out the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers.
EVs began their ascent again in the early 1990s due to new emissions legislation meant to help slow the rising climate crisis. In 1996, the first mass-produced EV hit the streets: GM’s EV1. Closely following that was Toyota’s first Prius, which became one of the most popular EVs of all time.
Tesla’s first electric car, the
Roadster
, wasn’t released until 2008, almost 10 years after the first modern electric vehicle.If you’re looking to buy a Tesla, having good car insurance is a good idea.
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