Thursday 6th September 1900

Andrew L. Riker set a new speed record, 29 mph (46.67 km/h), driving an electric car over for the five-mile course in Newport, Rhode Island, proving that the electric car could compete with its noisier petroleum-fuelled cousins. The electric car in fact remained competitive until 1920, often preferred for their low maintenance cost and quieter engine. However, developments in petrol engine technology, along with the advent of cheaper, mass-produced non-electrics like the Model T, proved to be the death knell of the electric car. However, rising fuel costs and environmental concerns has renewed interest in electric cars, and several models have recently launched.