Nearly two centuries of invention, setbacks, and breakthroughs lie behind every electric vehicle on the road today. At S4MILE, we believe the future of battery technology is best understood by knowing its past. So we created a video series tracing the complete history of electric mobility, from the first curious experiments in the 1820s all the way to the solid-state batteries transforming the industry right now.
The electric vehicle is not a 21st-century idea. Long before the first combustion engine roared to life, visionary inventors were already dreaming of battery-powered motion. As far back as 1828, small-scale electric models were being built in Hungary, Scotland, and the Netherlands, not as practical transport, but as proof that electricity could move things.
What followed was a journey of extraordinary highs and humbling lows: pioneering locomotives, the birth of the rechargeable battery, a brief golden age when electric cars outnumbered gasoline vehicles in American cities, and a long decline driven by cheap fuel and the combustion engine’s dominance.
But the story didn’t end there. Driven by energy crises, environmental urgency, and relentless engineering ambition, electric mobility staged multiple comebacks, each time powered by better batteries. From lead-acid to nickel-metal hydride to lithium-ion, every decade brought a new chemistry that pushed the boundaries of range, speed, and practicality.
To share this story, S4MILE produced a series of short videos for social media: one chapter at a time, from the 1820s to the present day. Below, you can watch each episode alongside a summary of what made that era so significant for the future of electric transport.
From Horse Tracks to Highways — Watch the Full Series
Eleven chapters. Nearly 200 years of innovation. Each video is a self-contained story, together forming an unbroken line from the earliest electric experiments to today’s solid-state frontier.
1828 – 1835
First Small-Scale Electric Cars
When horses and buggies ruled the roads, a handful of visionary inventors were quietly building battery-powered models, not yet vehicles for transport, but bold proof that electricity could move something without muscle.
1837 – 1841
First Electric Railway Locomotive
Scottish inventor Robert Davidson built the first known electric locomotive in 1837. By 1842, a more advanced four-wheeled model running on zinc-acid batteries could pull itself at 6.4 km/h over 2.4 km before the batteries were exhausted.
1859 – 1881
The Birth of the Rechargeable Battery
In 1859, French physicist Gaston Planté invented the first rechargeable lead-acid battery — a breakthrough that fundamentally changed what was possible for electric vehicles.
1881
First People-Carrying Electric Vehicle
French inventor Gustave Trouvé combined several inventions to create history: the first electric vehicle capable of carrying a person under its own battery power.
1884 – 1890
The First Practical Electric Cars
France and the United Kingdom became the first countries to actively support the development of electric automobiles. In 1888, German engineer Andreas Flocken built the first true electric car.
1890 – 1900
The Golden Age of Electric Cars Begins
Electric taxis flourished in New York and London. Clean, quiet, and easy to operate, electric cars were briefly the vehicle of choice in cities. The future looked electric, until it wasn’t.
1900 – 1910
Electric Cars at Their Peak
Electric vehicles accounted for roughly a third of all vehicles in the United States. Edison’s nickel-iron battery promised better performance, while Ferdinand Porsche created the world’s first hybrid. The ceiling was being pushed in every direction.
1910 – 1930
The Decline of Electric Cars
Mass production of Ford’s Model T made combustion cars cheap and widely available. Cheap fuel and expanding road infrastructure strongly favoured gasoline. By the 1930s, electric vehicles had all but disappeared from roads.
1960 – 1980
Early Attempts at Revival
The oil crises of the 1970s reignited interest in electric transport. General Motors, Ford, and others experimented with silver-zinc, nickel-iron, and nickel-cadmium battery technologies.
1990 – 2000
The Rise of New Battery Technologies
Zero-emission vehicle regulations pushed automakers back to the drawing board. The introduction of nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries extended range to 120–230 km. And behind the scenes, early lithium-ion research was beginning to promise something transformative.
2000 – 2020
A New Beginning for Electric Cars
Lithium-ion batteries transformed the industry. Through the 2010s, battery costs fell dramatically while energy density improved, enabling long-range EVs. Solid-state batteries entered research agendas. The EV transition had truly begun.
2020 – Present
The Push for Solid-State Batteries
Lithium-ion technology continues to advance, but the next chapter is already being written. Solid-state batteries, offering higher energy density, faster charging, and significantly improved safety, are attracting massive investment from companies worldwide.
S4MILE: Building theNext Chapter
Every breakthrough in this timeline came from researchers who refused to accept the limits of what already existed. That spirit is what drives S4MILE. As a Horizon Europe-funded research project, S4MILE brings together leading institutions and industry partners to develop next-generation solid-state batteries for electric vehicles.
The history of electric mobility is a story of patience, persistence, and periodic revolution. We are proud to be part of its next revolution.
