When most people think of electric cars, they imagine cutting-edge technology born yesterday. But the story of electric vehicles is far older and more fascinating than you might realize.

Back in the 1920s, battery-powered vehicles were already rolling down streets, whispering hints of a transportation revolution that would take decades to fully emerge. These weren’t just experimental curiosities, but early prototypes of the electric mobility we now take for granted. Some showed incredible promise, while others were simply stepping stones on a complex technological journey.

What follows is a look at ten pioneering electric vehicles that shaped automotive history—machines that were more than just metal and batteries, but dreams of a cleaner, more innovative future on wheels.

GM EV1

When General Motors unveiled the EV1 in the early 1990s, it wasn’t just another car—it was a radical statement about our automotive future. I remember seeing it for the first time: a sleek, compact electric vehicle that looked like it had rolled straight out of a science fiction movie.

The backstory was as compelling as the car itself. California had drawn a line in the sand, mandating that automakers produce zero-emission vehicles if they wanted to keep selling cars in the state. General Motors responded with the EV1—a machine that was part engineering marvel, part environmental promise.

What made the EV1 so revolutionary wasn’t just its electric drivetrain. It was a bold declaration that electric vehicles could be more than compromise. Streamlined, aerodynamic, and unapologetically different, this car challenged everything we thought we knew about what an electric vehicle could be.

Bizarrely, the manufacturers then began to push back on the mandate, with many, GM included, believing EVs were unprofitable. As such, the EV1 and other vehicles were culled, potentially setting the development of electric cars back by ten years.

Honda EV Plus

When Honda rolled out the EV Plus in the early 1990s, it was a fragile promise of an electric future. With its 105-mile range and 28.7 kWh battery, the vehicle represented more than just transportation. It was a technological rebellion against automotive convention.

I remember hearing stories about these cars—leased, not sold, always with an unspoken sense of impermanence. California’s zero-emission mandate had sparked their creation, but political pushback would become their ultimate undoing. Honda’s electric experiment was destined to be short-lived.

The most heartbreaking part? Every single EV Plus was recalled and systematically crushed. Not one survived—a mechanical graveyard of potential, transformed into scrap metal. These weren’t just cars; they were dreams compressed, recycled, erased.

Tesla Roadster

Built on a Lotus Elise chassis and powered by a three-phase AC induction motor, the Roadster was a technological symphony. The 2.5 Sport version, with its impressive 288 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, demolished every stereotype about electric vehicles being sluggish or uninspired.

What made the Roadster revolutionary was its audacious reimagining of electric performance. This was a high-performance machine that happened to run on electricity—a subtle but profound shift that would reshape our entire understanding of automotive potential.

AC Propulsion tzero

The radical and strange-looking AC Propulsion tzero was arguably the world’s first electric sports car, produced in minimal numbers by the American company AC Propulsion. The tzero would become the inspiration behind the first Teslas, and at the time, it was a truly innovative vehicle.

The tzero utilized AC Propulsion’s AC-150 drivetrain, as well as a single-speed electric system with a 9:1 overall gear ratio. Only a handful of the tzeros were ever built, but it was a big step in the right direction for EV development.

Chevrolet Electrovette

The Chevrolet Chevette of the late 1970s was a particularly unlovable and derided car. However, General Motors and Chevrolet decided to put it to good use, creating the Electrovette test bed using lead-acid batteries installed where the rear seats would be.

Its capabilities were pretty limited. It could do just 50 miles at 30 mph, although future developments hoped to at least double that range. The Electrovette was still very limited in its usability, and Chevrolet scrapped the project in 1979.

1974 Sebring-Vanguard Citicar

When the gas crisis hit in the early 1970s, manufacturers began seriously wondering if electric power might be the future. Out of this uncertainty emerged the Sebring-Vanguard Citicar—a vehicle that was essentially a glorified golf cart with pretensions of being a serious automobile.

Powered by a 2.5 horsepower DC motor from General Electric and sporting lead-acid batteries that delivered 36 volts, the Citicar was more of a technological experiment than a practical solution. The later 48-volt versions could reach 40 mph and travel 40 miles, offering a tantalizing glimpse of electric potential.

But let’s be clear: this wasn’t going to replace the internal combustion engine. The Citicar was more a desperate technological plea from an era wrestling with energy uncertainty—a small, wedge-shaped vehicle that looked more like a mobile refrigerator than a serious mode of transportation.

First-Generation Honda Insight

In just a few months, beating the Toyota Prius to be the first mass-produced hybrid, the first-generation Honda Insight showed us that electric power could complement regular combustion power, assist in efficiency, and lower emissions.

The Insight was a cleverly designed car with a streamlined and sleek exterior made of lightweight aluminum. As such, the Insight weighed just 1,847 lbs. Its power came from a 1.0-liter ECA1 inline-three engine and a 13 horsepower electric motor, leading to a combined fuel economy figure of 53 MPG. With a drag coefficient of just 0.25, the Insight was at the time the world’s most aerodynamic production car.

GM Electrovair II

General Motors explored the possibility of electric power as early as 1966 with the beautiful Electrovair II. Spawned from the earlier Electrovair I, the new vehicle was based around a second-generation Corvair finished in striking Marina Blue.

Under the hood were sizable batteries, with the Electrovair II using 286 silver-zinc cells, a type more often used in the aviation industry. These batteries, however, were hefty, weighing up to 680 lbs, and they delivered just 26.4 kWh worth of power. Thankfully, the Electrovair II is still with us today at GM’s private vehicle collection at the GM Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

1923 Detroit Electric

Early electric vehicles were more of a cursory exploration of the powertrain rather than a serious attempt to reinvent the automotive industry. That being said, the 1923 Detroit Electric was an excellent attempt at this, with enough power for 25 mph and a range of 80 miles.

The problem was that, at the time, early electric vehicles were more expensive than their combustion counterparts, a trend that has continued into 2024. The Detroit Electic, however, shows just how far EVs have come in the last 100 years and how far back EV development actually goes.

First-Generation Nissan Leaf

The first generation of the Nissan Leaf is perhaps the electric car that really launched the segment as a serious alternative to ICE power. Launched in 2010, it was the world’s first seriously produced electric vehicle, although it’s fair to say that it’s hardly the prettiest EV ever made.

The electric motor would produce up to 110 horsepower and around 100 miles of range, far better than any of the early electric cars could ever dream of. Nissan has continued to develop the Leaf ever since, with the second generation launching in 2017, which included a much-needed revision of the design.