The electric land speed record

An electric vehicle captured the land speed record back in 1899 - the outright land speed record was a set at 66mph by Camille Jenatzy's "Jamais Contente".

Baker set out to go one better, building a car so advanced that the world would not see anything like it for another 20 years. It was called the Baker Torpedo, and it was destined to become one of the most famous cars in history on several fronts. It looked like a design from the thirties, with low frontal area and sleek aerodynamics, a far cry from Jenatzy's design which looked like a sky-rocket with wheels.

Powered by 11 Edison lead acid batteries and driven by a 14 hp Elwell-Parker electric motor, the car had a potential top speed of nearly 130 mph, but the potential was never to be realised.

The day Baker became the first man to travel at 100mph, a wheel came off the vehicle and killed two spectators. Though Baker had run a mile in 36 seconds, the paperwork for the attempt was never filed, and he never attempted another record.

The golden era of the electric car was the period 1905 to 1915, and it finished due to several factors, including;

* The invention of the electric starter for automobiles - electric cars could be entirely operated from inside the car whereas petrol-driven cars required external hand-cranking until Charles Kettering invented the electric starter in 1912.

* America's road system improved, requiring longer-range vehicles.

* Oil prices fell dramatically when oil was discovered in Texas, making petrol more affordable to the average consumer.

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