By Beverly Clinkingbeard

Recently we’ve been hearing about the in-novation of electric cars. Their appeal is the lack of harmful emissions into our environment. The electrical power providers are gearing up for a populace driving electric cars. They are increasing infrastructure and placing power sources in handy places, such as service power stops in large parking lots and shopping areas, etc.

Tesla may be the best known of an electric trial vehicle, however, other car makers are also getting on board. For instance, Prince Charles of England, who is concerned for the environment, is reputed to have recently purchased an electrically powered Jaguar.   A farm magazine recently featured a truck that may be on the road as early as 2020. It is capable of hauling the same loads as a diesel truck and the cost is a phenomenal savings as compared with the diesel fuel powered truck — though there was no mention of the initial cost of purchase for the electrically powered truck.

So today we think we’re on cutting edge technology, and surely we are, except, browsing through a 1917 issue of the Westboro Enterprise (the local news-paper of the day for the town) there is a feature article entitled “Vehicle Uses Gasoline or Electricity.” That is one hundred and one years ago, and we’re just now getting into production?

The brief description says, “A vehicle propelled by a gasoline motor, an electric motor or both at the same time appeared recently. The new car is said to be the beginning of a new era in motor construction.

“The power plant of the car consists of a small four-cylinder gasoline motor and an electric motor-generator combined into one unit. The movement of a finger lever on the steering wheel connects the gasoline motor to the electric generator, which cranks the engine. Power is transmitted through the armature shaft of the electric motor and propeller shaft direct to the rear axle.

“There are two levers on the steering wheel, corresponding to the spark and throttle on the ordinary car. One controls the speed of the gasoline motor and the other the electric motor.

“At any advanced position of the electric lever, the first movement of the gasoline lever starts the gasoline motor. As the lever is moved forward it causes the car to be operated more and more on the gasoline. At a certain point it will run as a straight gasoline car, neither charging nor discharging the battery. Further advance uses the excess power to charge the battery. Using both motors the car will develop a speed of 40 miles an hour.

“The points of the car are described in this way:  It may run as an electric, with any of the advantages possessed by an electric. It may travel as a straight gas car. It may travel on both gasoline and electric power at the same time, with the same simplicity of operation. The gas engine charges the battery.

“The car has all the luxuriousness of the higher class cars which have been produced for years and looks like a gasoline car. It has no transmission, there is no shifting of gears and the clutch is operated by electricity. The makers say it will travel through mud.”

This final feature (“travel through mud”) may have been the real selling point of the day considering there were few paved roads in 1917 (in the cities and towns bricks provided pavement), nor was there electricity throughout the nation. It doesn’t say who manufactured the vehicle and we don’t really know what happened, but with many new inventions, some-times something else takes precedence, such as, Henry Ford’s economical Model T, or a lack of funding, or a lack of acceptance on the part of the public. But, wouldn’t you like to have one of these little tricks in your garage to drag out on parade day?

The Westboro Auto Com-pany Garage advertised their repair shop as well equipped for “first class service” of gasoline, cylinder oil and auto supplies. They were agents for Studebakers, Hupmobiles, Crow Elkharts and Chevrolets. Only the latter remain available for sale to the public today.

In the 1930’s there was a little car that either drove on the roadways or flew in the air. It was an era of increased innovation for aircraft, but the flying car failed to catch on with the common driver. It’s hard to imagine how it would have fared in heavy traffic, such as in Kansas City or Chicago. Surely in that situation, the driver would stay on the ground, and once outside of the metro area take to the air.

Whatever is the case, technology moves us along even when we’re satisfied with what we presently function within. Perhaps it is true. There isn’t much new under the sun. The little car of 1917 didn’t even need a plug-in or an electrical power company to keep it rolling. Pretty impressive.  ‘Til next time…