Incredible pics of century-old electric car lost for years in gas station & capable of doing 100 miles on single charge

A CENTURY-old electric car that predates Tesla is hitting the market – and it could set you back $220,000.

The 1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet, made during World War I, is one of just two known surviving examples.

Jam Press/Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The car goes up to auction in October[/caption]

Jam Press/Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

It’s one of the first electric vehicles[/caption]

Jam Press/Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The car is set to go for $190,000-$220,000[/caption]

Jam Press/Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The car is capable of 100 miles per charge[/caption]

Jam Press/Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

It can hit a top speed of 23 miles per hour[/caption]

Capable of 100 miles on a single charge, this pioneering vehicle was restored after being discovered abandoned in a shed in the 1980s, according to its listing.

The vehicle tops out at 23 miles per hour.

Its listing states: “It is extremely rare to find any of the pioneering Detroit Electrics in a style other than the famous, phone booth-like Brougham, so loved by wealthy society women of the 1910s.”

“Yet the factory did build other designs, including some rakish open roadsters and convertibles.”

“Among the latter was the Model 62 Cabriolet, which featured railroad-style windows and a fully insulated convertible top.”

The price range for the vehicle is $190,000 to $220,000 as it goes up to auction.

“This body was somewhat lighter than the larger Brougham coachwork, resulting in what amounted to a factory hot rod of sorts.”

The Model 62 was aimed at male drivers, with aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss among its early owners.

This particular Model 62A was shipped to a New York dealer in October 1916 for customer W.H. Downey, thought to be a chief engineer of a New York power plant.

It was later found tucked away next to a New Jersey gas station in the late 1980s before passing through several hands and being fully restored.

The car has black exterior, combined with a matching top and blue buttoned interior.

It retains charming period features, including a folding seat below the dashboard for a footman or maid and polished wood windshield frame.

It also has wire wheels and painted lamps.

The listing notes: “Among the most sought-after vintage electric cars, an open Detroit Electric is a rare beast indeed.”

Electric vehicles vs gas

Pros and cons of EVs vs gasoline-powered vehicles

EV PROS:

• Convenient (when charging at home)
• Cheaper (depending on state or city)
• Cheaper maintenance, due to lack of mechanical parts
• Great for commuting
• Reduced CO2 emissions
• Federal and state tax incentives
• More performance (speed, handling – depending on the make and model)

EV CONS:

• Higher initial cost
• Higher insurance rates
• More frequent tire and brake replacement intervals
• Higher curb weight (thus causing more rapid wear on crucial parts)
• Low resale value
• High depreciation rates
• Lack of charging infrastructure
• Unreliable public charging (related: slow charging times)
• Poor winter and summer performance
• Lack of clean energy alternatives means more “dirty energy” from coal and nuclear sources
• Range anxiety

GAS PROS:

• Highly developed refueling infrastructure
• Fast refueling
• Cheaper insurance rates, depending on make, model, and configuration
• Established repair industry
• Lower initial cost
• Higher range before refueling, especially with hybrids
• Many manufacturers produce nearly emission-less engines
• Cheaper refueling, depending on the location

GAS CONS:

• Finite resource (related: heavy dependence on petroleum)
• Carbon emissions/greenhouse gases
• Higher repair costs
• Higher insurance rates, depending on make, model, and configuration
• Varying costs at the pump, depending on state, city, and county

Source: Car & Driver, Perch Energy, AutoWeek

“The chance to acquire this one should not be missed by the devout connoisseur of turn-of-the-century alternative power.”

“Or simply the enthusiast who seeks something just a little different to accompany his or her Tesla.”

The historic car will be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s in Hershey, Pennsylvania, this October, offering a rare opportunity to own a piece of electric motoring history. 

The company started putting lead-acid batteries into cars in 1907, according to its website.

It then sold thousands of cars until 1939.

Jam Press/Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Detroit Electrics first put a battery into a car in 1907[/caption]

Jam Press/Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

It has retained most of its original features[/caption]

Jam Press/Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The car was found in a shed next to a gas station[/caption]