They're referring to how Thomas Edison created the first electric vehicles back in the 1800s. They might have had a future until Ford introduced assembly lines. Then the rest is history.

The EV1 was the first commercial development in the US following the World Wars, but even before then you had solar EVs being made for science and eclectic racing before then. Think of those weirdly shaped cars only made for 1 driver that have solar panels covering the entire body of the car.

Funny thing is that we're now seeing some commercial (or soon to be commercial) manufacturers add solar panels in the same way. Just look to Hyundai and Aptera.

[–] Ragnarok314159@sopuli.xyz 4 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Edison didn’t create a damn thing, just stole ideas from everyone else.

[–] Lets_Eat_Grandma@lemm.ee 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Yeah, no... edison was way late to the game. https://www.energy.gov/articles/history-electric-car

At one point steam cars were 40% of the market, electric was 38%, and gas was a paltry 22%

[–] Baphomet_The_Blasphemer@lemmy.world 7 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I remember an early Saturn EV that was never sold, only leased so GM could maintain ownership of them. Even with a limited range, the drivers all loved them for commuting and running errands, and many tried to purchase them outright, which GM refused. Eventually, GM issued a mandatory recall for all the Saturn EVs, mothballed the project, and then they released the Hummer... made me sick even at the time.

[–] yamanii@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

Saw that on a great documentary, "Who killed the electric car?"