100-Year-Old Electric Car Design Makes a Comeback

CNet's Green Tech Blog is reporting that Detroit Electric plans to release a small number of cars based around a car designed nearly 100 years ago. Detroit Electric is a joint venture between Santa Rosa, CA-based electric transportation specialist, Zap and China's Youngman motors. "Back in 1917, a Detroit Electric cost anywhere from $1,775 to $2,375--in other words, fit for the proletarian or plutocrat. The cars could go 65 miles to 100 miles on a battery charge, but only go at speeds ranging from 6 miles per hour to 25 mph."

Comments

Article doesn't have much to it.

[sgt.greywar]

"Back in 1917, a Detroit Electric cost anywhere from $1,775 to $2,375--in other words, fit for the proletarian or plutocrat."

This was my Father's era and he was a "prole". Working as a logger he earned somewhere around $200-300/year. The earliest data for per capita income I could find was 1929 here:

http://www.census.gov/statab/hist/HS-33.pdf/

but even then it was ~$700/year.

So how does a car that cost 3-4 years salary qualify as being "fit for the proletariotarian"?

In today's terms that car would cost ~$120,000!

Aside from a announcing a publicity stunt by a company cashing in on a green fad in visible and public low-carbonism (believe me the replica cars will *not* be for the proles!) this article is shamefully low on any actual news or facts.

Just a bit of hype.

Re:Article doesn't have much to it.

[eebly]

I'm not certain you're doing your math right.

Using the Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator, $2375 1917 dollars have the same buying power as about $39000 2008 dollars. That inflation is based on the CPI.

Re:Article doesn't have much to it.

[sgt.greywar]

You are correct. Problem is that in 1917 the "proles" weren't making $2375 1917 dollars. They were making a few hundred.

Doing CPI, GDP, or per capita back that far is pretty difficult but there was no way this vehicle was even close to the proletarian price range. the article just used it to be cute without regard to the facts.

Who Killed the Electric Car?

[mysqlrocks]

If you haven't seen the documentary, Who Killed the Electric Car? then I highly recommend you check it out. It explores the roles of automobile manufacturers, the oil industry, the US government, batteries, hydrogen vehicles, and consumers in limiting the development and adoption of the electric car.

Re:And this is being brought back why?

[Ron Harwood]

Actually, they're just bringing the brand back... that should have been in the summary - but it does encourage one to read the article. ;)