1890s: William Morrison’s ride (above)

Scotland-native William Morrison was one of the first inventors to create an electric vehicle for America’s streets. ­Twenty-four batteries under the seats provided the carriage with just 4 horsepower and a top speed of 20 mph as it rolled on steel-clad wooden wheels.

1914: Detroit Electric 47

The model 47, made by the Anderson Electric Car Company, could start ­instantly without the hand-cranking its ­combustion-driven ­cousins required. Thomas Edison piloted one of these, as did Henry Ford’s wife. The car ­promised a ­respectable 80 miles of range per charge.

1967: Ford Comuta

The first gas-free ­Mustang may have debuted in 2019, but Ford’s earlier EV was cuter: a 7-foot-long conveyance that could reach a maximum speed of 40 mph, travel for 40 miles per charge, and seat a family of four (snugly). Power came from four 12-volt lead-acid packs.

1970s: The Sebring-Vanguard

The cheese-block-­shaped two-seater held the title of most produced electric vehicle in American history for four decades. It housed eight 6-volt golf-cart ­batteries, but with its lightweight frame, it could run for some 35 miles ­after one serving of ­electrons from the grid.

1996: GM EV1

General Motors ­envisioned its EV1 as a regular commuter car, and not just a niche option. To offset the heft of its lead-acid power units, the automaker constructed it with plastic body panels and an aluminum frame. GM made only about 1,100, which customers had to lease.

2008: Tesla Roadster

This sleek two-seater kicked off the era of ­lithium-ion power. The 6,831 cells weighed some 700 pounds but helped push the ride from zero to 60 in four seconds and gifted it with a range of 245 miles. To keep those elements cool, an ­antifreeze-like solution flowed around them.

2010: Nissan Leaf

For a quarter the price of the Roadster, the Leaf promised 100 miles from its 192 ­lithium-ion cells. Nissan styled it to look more like a regular car and less like other green options on the market. Its bulging headlamps managed airflow, limiting wind noise in the absence of engine sounds.

2018: Rivian R1T and R1S

This pickup and SUV (not shown) both use the same modular, ­skateboard-like chassis; it holds the vehicles’ four motors, shielded ­batteries, and power-­management system. The configuration allows the freedom to include features such as a mobile kitchen, for camping. This story appears in the Spring 2020, Origins issue of Popular Science.