Worth the Watt: A Brief History of the Electric Car, 1830 to Present

Electric cars have been around a lot longer than today’s Tesla Motors or even the General Motors EV1 of 20 years ago. In fact, electric cars appeared long before the internal-combustion sort, and dreamers have never stopped trying to make them work both on the road and as a business proposition. A lack of historical perspective sometimes leads to misunderstandings of how things came to be as they are now, so let’s take the long view of the road that got us here. 

Start in the 1830s, with Scotland’s Robert Anderson, whose motorized carriage was built sometime between 1832 and ’39. Batteries (galvanic cells) were not yet rechargeable, so it was more parlor trick (“Look! No horse nor ox, yet it moves!”) than a transportation device. Another Scot, Robert Davidson of Aberdeen, built a prototype electric locomotive in 1837. A bigger, better version, demonstrated in 1841, could go 1.5 miles at 4 mph towing six tons. Then it needed new batteries. This impressive performance so alarmed railway workers (who saw it as a threat to their jobs tending steam engines) that they destroyed Davidson’s devil machine, which he’d named "Galvani." 

Batteries that could be recharged came along in 1859, making the electric-car idea more viable. By 1890, a Scottish-born chemist living in Des Moines, Iowa, William Morrison, applied for a patent on the electric carriage he’d built perhaps as early as 1887. It appeared in a city parade in 1888, according to the Des Moines Register. With front-wheel drive, 4 horsepower, and a reported top speed of 20 mph, it had 24 battery cells that needed recharging every 50 miles. Morrison’s self-propelled carriage was a sensation at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, which was also known as the famed “World’s Columbian Exhibition.” Morrison himself was more interested in the batteries than in mobility, but he’d sparked the imagination of other inventors.

By Kevin A.

Worth the Watt: A Brief History of the Electric Car, 1830 to Present

Electric cars have been around a lot longer than today’s Tesla Motors or even the General Motors EV1 of 20 years ago. In fact, electric cars appeared long before the internal-combustion sort, and dreamers have never stopped trying to make them work both on the road and as a business proposition. A lack of historical perspective sometimes leads to misunderstandings of how things came to be as they are now, so let’s take the long view of the road that got us here. 

Start in the 1830s, with Scotland’s Robert Anderson, whose motorized carriage was built sometime between 1832 and ’39. Batteries (galvanic cells) were not yet rechargeable, so it was more parlor trick (“Look! No horse nor ox, yet it moves!”) than a transportation device. Another Scot, Robert Davidson of Aberdeen, built a prototype electric locomotive in 1837. A bigger, better version, demonstrated in 1841, could go 1.5 miles at 4 mph towing six tons. Then it needed new batteries. This impressive performance so alarmed railway workers (who saw it as a threat to their jobs tending steam engines) that they destroyed Davidson’s devil machine, which he’d named "Galvani." 

Batteries that could be recharged came along in 1859, making the electric-car idea more viable. By 1890, a Scottish-born chemist living in Des Moines, Iowa, William Morrison, applied for a patent on the electric carriage he’d built perhaps as early as 1887. It appeared in a city parade in 1888, according to the Des Moines Register. With front-wheel drive, 4 horsepower, and a reported top speed of 20 mph, it had 24 battery cells that needed recharging every 50 miles. Morrison’s self-propelled carriage was a sensation at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, which was also known as the famed “World’s Columbian Exhibition.” Morrison himself was more interested in the batteries than in mobility, but he’d sparked the imagination of other inventors.

By Kevin A.

NAJA Car of the Year

THE Kia Rio automobile in a keenly contested competition, has beat other brands to earn the prestigious 2015 Car of the Year (COTY) Award. It got the highest number of votes across the country to top the competition.

The event, which was the annual Nigerian Automobile Journalists Association (NAJA) awards, saw the Kia Rio conquering some high-performance challengers to take the victory. The brand was adjudged to have ticked all the boxes in terms of value for money, safety, innovation, technology and dynamics.

The third generation Kia Rio’s fantastic engines, great handling, and lighter platform were adjudged the best amongst other competing brands.

In October this year, NAJA started conducting annual assessment of all selected cars that are eligible to be included in the car of the year category. All the cars went through rigorous testing, which also included driving on various Nigerian roads.

At the ceremony, which held at the Eko Hotels and Suites, NAJA’s judges revealed that the Kia Rio won because of its sophistication and fuel efficiency. Other factors considered were its handling and drivers’ involvement.

“Kia will continue to build cars that brighten people’s lives and exceed their expectations. The Kia Rio has just upped the ante once again. We aim to become a “one-and-only” brand for our customers; a brand they will choose again and again,” said Chief Commercial Officer, Kia Motors Nigeria, Sandeep Malhotra.

Intelligently designed and expertly engineered, every single detail of both the Kia Rio’s exterior and interior seems meticulously thought-out.

The Kia Rio, also dubbed as the People’s Car, is a top-of-the-segment sub-compact car featuring the engineering prowess, future-proofed safety technologies and classic design elements that ensure that they will remain remarkable for years to come.

The Rio is a solid pick for a small sedan or hatchback. It’s not quite as refined as some class-leading rivals, but it might still win you over with its inviting cabin, strong engine performance and excellent value.

It is stylish inside and out; ample standard and optional features; high-quality interior materials on EX and SX; long warranty; strong acceleration; feels bigger than it is.

“Grown-up” really would be the optimum expression to describe the Rio. Its exterior is notably European in appearance, with the sedan in particular, avoiding the awkward proportions of its competitors. And although the base LX trim is rather bare-bones, the EX and SX step things up considerably with higher-quality interior materials and near-luxury levels of equipment that are sure to make one forget that he’s in such a small car.

It comes with standard four-wheel antilock disc brakes, stability control, hill start assist, front side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags.

Overall, the Rio stays very composed when driven either gently or at whatever the engine can deliver. It handles remarkably well for a small, inexpensive hatchback with a basic strut and torsion-beam suspension and a short wheelbase, although one would appreciate some more feedback from the steering.

The interior is a little tighter on space than other subcompacts, but pleasing trims and materials and reasonably good cabin refinement keep it more cheerful than the other choices.