The American Electric was an American automobile manufactured in Chicago from 1899 to 1902 and Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1902. The company was incorporated by Clinton Edgar Woods in 1895[1] as American Electric Vehicle Co. Chicago, and merged with Indiana Bicycle Co. to become Waverly in 1898[2] and later Pope-Waverley.[2][3]
The company built a wide range of electric carriages - some bodied as high, ungainly-looking dos-a-dos four-seaters - these were claimed to be capable of running from 35 mi to 50 mi. Perhaps optimistically, the manufacturer claimed that "very few private carriages would ever be subjected to such a test". The company moved to New Jersey in 1902, according to a company statement, “to find more wealthy customers,” but they shut down operations within the year.
See also
- History of the electric vehicle
- List of defunct United States automobile manufacturers
References
- Halliday Witherspoon (1902) Men of Illinois p. 52^
- Car Companies on earlyelectric.com. Accessed May 7, 2013^
- The Waverley Company on earlyelectric.com. Accessed May 7, 2013^