The Detroit Electric

Detroit, Michigan

The story of America’s first best selling electric car starts out in 1884, with the establishment of The Anderson Carriage Company in Port Huron, MI. The company's founder, William C. Anderson moved the carriage business to Detroit in 1884 and in 1907 the company began making electric cars. The first car designed by George M. Bacon was completed in June of 1907 and the company would complete 125 more before the end of the year.

In 1909 the company purchased its electric motor supplier and that meant that the only things they didn’t produce for their cars, in house, were rims and tires. Sales in 1910 reached 1500. In 1911 the name was changed to the Anderson Electric Car Company and they introduced a “Chainless” Direct Shaft Drive, meaning that the car had no chains, something that was common in early cars. But most important was the elimination of gears, something that electric cars are now famous for.

Just like modern EVs, the Detroit Electric had very little moving parts and this fact, coupled with not having to use a hand crank to start and having no complicated transmission or clutch, meant the car was primarily marketed to middle class and wealthy women. Doctors were also a target for advertisement, since the car could be jumped into and driven off in a moment's notice. Henry Ford’s wife, Clara, owned a 1908 model and would go on to own a total of 3 Detroit Electric cars.

The company advertised that the cars range was, “farther than you would ever want to travel in a day”, but would estimate the travel distance to be about 80 miles on a full charge. Despite this published number, they did manage to get one car to go 211 miles on a charge, but never marketed that number in advertising. Top speed was a lowly 20 mph, but that speed was good enough for the crowded city streets of the early 20th century.

In 1918 William Anderson retired from the company and in 1919 the company’s name was changed to Detroit Electric Car Company. The company had weathered the first World War, but were beginning to find themselves at a technological disadvantage to the ever refined internal combustion engine powered cars. The new president of the company, M.S. Towsen began to include styling trends on the electric car that made them look like gas powered cars. He also shifted the company’s focus from personal cars, to the commercial field.

After William Anderson’s death in November of 1929, and in the Great Depression that followed, production numbers fell off tremendously. Because of this Detroit Electric cars would become special order and mass production would end. They continued to produce a body in house, but would get parts from other car makers, this resulted in an electric car with hood louvers. Seeing price increases on their basic battery components, 1938 would mark the last production year for The Detroit Electric Car Company.

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By: Chris Breeden