This 1918 EV Had 42 Batteries And More Range Than A 2011 Leaf

A 1918 Detroit Electric Model 75B, equipped with 42 lead-acid batteries and a 4.28 hp motor, claimed an 80-mile range, surpassing the EPA-rated 73 mile range of the 2011 Nissan Leaf, though the original figure was based on a 20 mph top speed. The vehicle used a lever-steering system, cost about $2,175 in 1918—roughly five times a Model T’s price—and was ultimately displaced by the electric starter and cheaper gasoline cars, not by range limitations.