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When was the first modern electric car made?

I’ve started to see more and more electric cars on the road and was wondering when the first modern electric car was made?

avatar
Patrick Price · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
This is an interesting question! Electricity being used to power a car dates back to the mid 1800s! But since you asked about the modern
electric car
it was the EV1.
In response to a California mandate that automakers must sell a small percentage of fully electric cars, GM came up with the EV1 in 1996. This futuristic looking car laid the groundwork for the technology that is used today. Here are some fun facts about the car:
  • It had an impressive charge with a range of 70-160 miles per charge!
  • Film director Francis Ford Coppola still has his EV 1
  • Only about 800 GM EV 1s were leased from 1996-2003
So why the failure to launch? Well, the mandate was quickly reversed and the cost of production was high. On top of that, EVs (electric vehicles) simply didn’t have the general marketing and awareness that surrounds them now.
Whether you’ve held on to one of the rare GM EV1s or you’re driving the latest electric car out there, you’re going to want to make sure you have your ride covered. Super app,
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