Automakers have produced electric cars off and on for over a century. Ohio-based Baker Motor Vehicle Co. was among the most successful, selling thousands of its electrics to wealthy consumers (including Thomas Edison) from 1899 to 1915. But while each Baker (above, a 1912 model) ran on no fewer than 12 cell batteries, its top speed was just 14 miles per hour. In contrast, many less expensive, gas-powered cars could exceed 40 mph. Today, as gas prices soar and battery technology improves, all-electric cars might well make a comeback.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/car/past-05.html