Baker Electric was a major player in the early electric car era. They made a variety of models including runabouts, stanhopes, and double drive broughams.
They advertised these electrics as being easier to operate than gasoline or steam cars. The electric cars were also marketed to women, who were often unable or didn’t want to drive.
The Baker Electric
During the late 19th century, the Baker Electric was considered one of the most popular cars in the world. Its speed and range made it a perfect choice for anyone looking to save money on gas costs while traveling long distances.
Baker Electrics had a high top speed and could travel up to 300 miles on a single charge. The car also used a powerful electric motor that was located in the rear of the vehicle.
The Baker Electric was produced by the Baker Motor Vehicle Company in Cleveland, Ohio. The company was founded by Midwestern engineer Walter C. Baker, who had a background in carriage manufacturing.
The Baker Stanhope
The Baker Stanhope was a two-seater electric car designed in 1904 and manufactured by The Baker Motor Vehicle Company in Cleveland, Ohio. The car featured a proprietary chassis, centrally-located electric motor and 12-cell batteries.
The electric Stanhope was one of the most popular battery-powered cars in America at the turn of the century. It was marketed as “dainty, immaculately clean, full of good service, durable, simple to operate and always ready to go, ideal for city driving.”
The earliest Baker electrics were two-seaters based on a single electric motor, which produced 1.75 horsepower (1.3 kW) and ran from a 12-cell battery. It was capable of 14 mph, a notable feat for the time. The model was available in a runabout version and the more luxurious Phaeton Stanhope.
The Baker Imperial Runabout
The Baker Imperial Runabout makes its debut at the New York auto show. It’s priced at $850 and attracted a lot of buyers, including none other than Thomas Edison!
Edison is a big fan of electric vehicles. He designed the batteries used in Baker cars and was an enthusiastic buyer of theirs.
Baker’s 1897 model was a two-passenger, 550 lb car with 10 cells, a 3/4 HP motor and chain drive to the rear axle. It had two forward speeds, 6 and 12 MPH and an advertised range of twenty miles.
The company made four different body styles, all priced at US$1,000 or less. It also manufactured trucks. Some of them had a large driving seat high up behind the passengers to resemble a hansom cab.
The Baker Roadster
The Baker Roadster is an interesting EV that has a long battery life and a range of over 200 miles on a single charge. But it can’t charge on Tesla’s Supercharger network or accept DC fast-charging, which are the norm for other electric vehicles.
Originally built in 1902, this car has been restored and is believed to be the only example of its kind. It has all-white tires and crimson leather upholstery.
The Baker Motor Vehicle Company was founded by Midwestern engineer Walter C. Baker, who also helped to create the American Ball Bearing Company. Using his understanding of carriage production, Baker set up an electric car company in Cleveland.
The Baker Double Drive Brougham
Baker’s electric cars are considered the pinnacle of early automotive design. Featuring ball bearing axels, steering knuckles, a fully floating rear axle with worm-gear shaft drive (patented 1901), and vanadium alloy steel, these vehicles were a step ahead of their gasoline-powered counterparts.
Designed to appeal to the upper classes, Baker’s electric cars were elegant, reliable and safe. Their interiors resembled a mobile parlor, with button-tucked bench seats facing each other and the driver sitting high up behind the passengers mimicking a hansom cab.
While Baker was best known for their electric cars, they also made a variety of other types of cars. They made cabs, fire engines, buses and trolleybuses.
