Battery Charger for Detroit Electric Coupe, circa 1922
THF172805 / Battery Charger for Detroit Electric Coupe, circa 1922
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Artifact Overview
Early electric automobiles were clean, quiet and -- with no gears to shift -- easy to drive. But fully recharging their batteries could take anywhere from 8 to 16 hours. Into the 1920s, larger cities often had public charging stations to service electric cars. Owners could also charge their vehicles at home using units like this one.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Battery charger
Date Made
circa 1922
Place of Creation
Creator Notes
Made by Standard Electrical Products Co. in Dayton, Ohio; gauges by Western Electric Company.
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
34.371.2
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Joseph W. Ballard.
Material
Metal
Wood (Plant Material)
Wire
Dimensions
Height: 15.75 in
Width: 10.5 in
Length: 20.5 in
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Related Artifacts
Artifact1922 Detroit Electric Coupe
Detroit Electric was the best-known and longest-lived American electric car company. Detroit Electric built cars from 1907 to 1939, although after 1930 production was limited to custom orders. This elegant four-passenger Model 90 coupe was in regular use from 1922 to 1934. A large battery provided electricity for the vehicle's electric motor. The car had a driving range of 70 to 100 miles between charges and a top speed of about 25 miles per hour.