When Electric Cars Were Marketed Primarily to Women
Early twentieth-century electric vehicles offered convenience and cleanliness, positioning them as ideal for female drivers.
1The Competitive Automotive Landscape
In 1898, the United States hosted approximately 50 carmakers, a figure that quintupled within a decade. By 1910, annual production soared to 181,000 vehicles. During this era, steam, gasoline, and electric power competed for dominance, as manufacturers struggled to establish reliable infrastructure for long-distance travel and refueling logistics across the country.
2Electric Advantages Over Gasoline
Before the 1911 invention of the electric starter, gasoline engines required strenuous hand-cranking and produced loud, noxious fumes. Electric vehicles offered a cleaner, quieter alternative that started instantly with a key. These attributes made them highly attractive to specific demographics, particularly women and doctors who needed reliable transportation for night calls.
3Marketing to Female Drivers
General Electric actively promoted electric vehicles to women, utilizing advertisements that featured stylishly dressed drivers operating charging stations. Early adopters like Fannie Goodnow utilized these systems, specifically the mercury-arc rectifier, to power their vehicles. These campaigns successfully differentiated electric cars as sophisticated, user-friendly machines compared to the mechanical complexity of combustion engines.
4Mercury-Arc Rectifier Technology
Invented by Peter Cooper Hewitt, the mercury-arc rectifier functioned as a diode to convert alternating current into direct current. The device utilized a glass tube containing liquid mercury that vaporized to allow one-way current flow. Charging a drained battery with this unit typically required twelve hours of continuous operation to reach full capacity.
5S.R. Bailey's Strategic Pivot
Samuel Robinson Bailey, a renowned carriage maker since 1882, transitioned his business to electric vehicle production in 1906 as the traditional carriage industry collapsed. His company produced the Victoria Phaeton, a two-seater model. Despite winning gold medals for carriage design, the firm ultimately struggled to compete against the rising tide of Ford's Model T.
6Battery Challenges and Innovation
Early models like the Victoria Phaeton initially utilized Thomas Edison’s alkaline batteries, which suffered from leaking and poor charge retention. Bailey eventually switched to Gould Storage Battery Co. units. The standard 30-cell lead-acid battery provided a range of 64 to 80 kilometers, costing approximately $2,000, equivalent to modern luxury electric vehicle pricing.
7Standardization and Infrastructure Struggles
Early EV owners faced significant challenges regarding nonstandardized plugs and cables, necessitating the carriage of spare adapters. The Electric Vehicle Association of America, formed in 1910, attempted to establish universal charging standards. Despite these efforts, the lack of widespread infrastructure remained a persistent barrier to the mass adoption of electric transportation technology.
8Historical Legacy of Adoption
S.R. Bailey ceased production in 1915 after manufacturing roughly 600 vehicles, unable to overcome the market dominance of internal combustion. While the Victoria Phaeton became a historical footnote, artifacts like Goodnow’s charging station remain preserved. These remnants highlight the cyclical nature of technological adoption and the persistent challenges of early-stage infrastructure development.
Original article: IEEE Spectrum — When Electric Cars Were Marketed Primarily to Women