Electric cars have a long history. The first electric taxi firm appeared in New York in the early 1900s and electric cars arrived in Italy no later than in 1907.
These are the roots of the technology that some − if not everyone today − look to in order to solve pollution and environmental sustainability issues connected to the consumption of hydrocarbons in transportation.
Another interesting fact: already at the beginning of the last century, electric cars were used to solve an issue of pollution and mobility caused by the presence of hundreds of thousands of horses in big cities, to the vast lands required for their sustenance, and the tons of "refuse" they produced and left in the streets.
After a brief period of co-existence, internal combustion engines were chosen over electric ones and technology developed in that direction. But not for long.
50 years ago, a new stage of research began and it is from than period (and from those prototypes) that we tell the story of Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis at Auto e Moto d'Epoca. From the early models such as the 1974 Fiat X1/23 or the 190 Elektro of the 80s to the latest productions such as the EQS fleet − the pinnacle of Mercedes electrification − and the new 500 RED, born from the collaboration between Fiat and RED to spread a shared message of love for the environment, the planet and people.
But at Auto e Moto d'Epoca, we won't only be looking at electric cars of the bigger brands. A new tradition is developing right now: the conversion of vintage cars into electric propulsion. The Citroen Mehari and 2CV presented by French experts of the Cassis Club are an example of this.
Not all enthusiasts appreciate this transformation, but there are certainly advantages to electric cars (from the simplicity of their maintenance to the ability to freely access historic town centres) and, who knows, maybe a new generation of collectors may also embrace this new generation of engines. Even in the vintage world.
