Modern electric vehicles are not synonymous with bizarre aesthetics. They more or less look similar to gas-powered cars. Electrification happens under the hood, so contemporary automotive designers hardly need to deviate from the norm.
Older generations of EVs, though, would look odd to anyone today. The history of EVs goes back to the 19th century, when innovators in the U.S., the U.K., Hungary, and the Netherlands first dreamt up better alternatives to the horse and buggy and tested the idea of a battery-powered vehicles. British inventor Robert Anderson developed the first crude EV in 1832, but no practical version of the vehicle existed until the invention of rechargeable batteries in 1859.
Then came American chemist William Morrison, who created an electrified wagon, the first EV in the U.S., in 1890. These electrified carriages gained popularity among urban residents at the tail end of the century because they were quieter and easier to drive than steam- and gas-powered vehicles. Emitting zero smelly pollutants was also part of their charm. The first decade of the 20th century saw the glory days of EVs in the U.S.
However, the mass production of the Ford (F) Model T turned the tide, rendering gas-fueled cars more widely available, affordable and appealing to the public, and EV innovation was mostly dormant in the following decades. The 2000s ushered in the resurgence of electric cars with the unveiling of the Tesla Roadster in 2006 — and, more recently, the eyebrow-raising Cybertruck.
With that history in mind, here are five of wackiest EV designs to ever hit the road.
