Everything You Need to Know About Oldsmobile and Electric Cars
Oldsmobile was lined up to produce electric vehicles at the turn of the century, but a factory fire put an end to their plans.
Written by Sarah Williams
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Oldsmobile
had plans to start producing electric vehicles since they started manufacturing cars—long before the modern idea of an EV had even manifested! But after a factory fire in 1901, they scrapped their plans and no Oldsmobile EVs were ever developed. Before its close in 2004, Oldsmobile was the oldest American automobile marque, dating back to 1897. While Oldsmobile can be credited for several new technologies and designs in the auto world, their innovative plans to enter the world of electric vehicles never came to be.
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Does Oldsmobile have electric cars?
No–although Oldsmobile had plans and had designated factory space for creating electric vehicles when they first started, a factory fire in 1901 put an end to what could have been a great thing.
Only a year after opening the Detroit factory, Ransom E. Olds decided that electric cars were the way to go. He wanted to diversify Oldsmobile (Olds Motor Vehicle Company at the time) and invest in the benefits of electric vehicles. The cheapest Oldsmobile electric was set to sell for $1,600, and a large section of the factory was designated for EV production.
In 1901, a factory fire destroyed every car but one: an Olds Curved Dash model. While this spiked sales for the Curved Dash, the fire ended Oldsmobile’s dreams of producing electric vehicles.
How to decide if going electric is right for you
While you may not be able to drive an Oldsmobile electric car, that doesn’t mean your search has to end there. Going electric can be a big decision for many, so here are a few things to consider before taking the plunge:
- Charging stations in your area: It’s a good idea to use a home charging station for regular charging, but you’ll want to ensure other options are available to you around town.
- Daily mileage and driving range: The last thing you want is to run out of power on your regular commute. Calculating the number of miles you drive and comparing it with your prospective EV’s driving range will provide some peace of mind.
- Frequency of long trips: For most people, an EV’s maximum range should do the trick. If you’re making regular trips over 200 miles, you’ll want to ensure you have a plan for getting to your destination and back again.
- Garage and at-home charging accessibility: If you don’t have a garage and rely on street parking or an underground parkade, you’ll need to do some research to make sure your EV has a spot to stock up and recharge.
- Towing capacity: This is particularly important for SUV and truck lovers. Remember that towing will dramatically deplete your EV’s driving range, so you’ll need to plan for more charging opportunities.
One major benefit of going electric is a federal tax credit of $7,500. Your local governments and energy providers may also offer additional rebates and incentives, not to mention EVs come with lower operating costs, quiet driving, and last but not least, benefits to the environment! The downsides are the higher upfront costs and time-consuming charging logistics.
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