2025 WSC Weekly18期：你以为赶时髦的电车 其实在一百多年前满地跑？

WSC Weekly2025世界学者杯the World Scholar's Cup

@WSC小学者们！Jerry喊你来看

WSC Weekly专栏啦！

2025年度主题：重燃未来

Reigniting the Future

WSC Weekly专栏将精选最新话题内容

助力小学者准备世界学者杯！

让我们怀着

永恒的学术精神与信念

探索未来的无限可能吧！

锁定每周WSC Weekly

上期回顾&Quiz答案揭晓

在2025年世界学者杯第17期WSC Weekly栏目中，我们与小学者一起了解了目前最具前景的人类永生技术。在上期的趣味Quiz中，你是否找到了正确答案？现在就让我们一起来揭晓吧！

还想再活五百年？

永生技术了解一下

The Technologies for Life Extension

第17期Quiz答案揭晓：

In the mythological Journey to the West, demons dreamed of immortality by eating the flesh of the Longevity Monk. 23rd-century scientists developed a real-life version of the Longevity Monk's meat product, which would most likely be based on which of the following technologies?

在神话《西游记》中，妖怪们都梦想着吃唐僧肉可以长生不老。23世纪的科学家研制出了现实版的唐僧肉产品，那么这个产品最有可能基于以下哪种技术？

A. 生物机电整合 Biomechatronics

B.冷冻术 Cryonics

C. 基因增强 Genetic Enhancement

D. 干细胞疗法 Stem Cell Therapy

E. 生殖性克隆 Reproductive Cloning

正确答案：D

Key: D

2025年第18期

Weekly Intro

电动汽车竟在19世纪就已成爆款？比燃油车早诞生半个世纪，维多利亚时代的电动车一度风靡欧美！爱迪生为它代言，福特差点转行...这场被汽油中断的“电动革命”在百年后的今天重获新生，成为未来指标！

本期Weekly带你探究电动车技术革命背后的时代故事，原来我们的曾祖父才是第一批“环保先锋”！

2025 No.18

你以为赶时髦的电车，其实在一百多年前满地跑？

The rise, fall and resurgence of electric vehicles in the 20th century

电动汽车的发展脉络

如今，电动汽车被誉为交通运输的未来，外形炫酷、运行安静的电车已遍布全球高速公路和城市街道。但鲜有人知道，电动车并不只是未来的象征，它也拥有同样悠久的历史。在特斯拉成为环保创新的代名词之前，电动车早已在道路上大放异彩。事实上，在20世纪初，电动车曾是最受欢迎、最先进的交通工具之一。它们的早期辉煌、突然没落与如今的意外复兴，背后不仅是技术发展的历史，更是一段关于时代机遇、基础设施与公众认知如何交织影响的故事。

Today, electric cars are hailed as the future of transportation, with sleek, silent models populating highways and city streets around the world. But few people realize that electric vehicles have a past nearly as rich as their potential future. Long before Teslas became a symbol of clean innovation, electric cars were already a dominant force on the roads. In fact, at the turn of the 20th century, electric vehicles were among the most popular and advanced modes of transportation.Their early triumphs, sudden disappearance, and surprising comeback reveal a story shaped not just by technology, but by timing, infrastructure, and public perception.

电动车的诞生

电动车的历史可以追溯到19世纪早期，那时工程师开始尝试制造由电池驱动的马车。1830年代，苏格兰和美国的发明家研发出使用一次性电池的简易电动车。这些最初的机器更像是新奇玩意儿，而非实用工具。但到了1880年代，可充电的铅酸电池的发明，让电动车真正成为可能。随着城市扩张、道路改善，电动车因其清洁、安静、可靠的特点，在城市短途出行中越来越受欢迎。到了1890年代和20世纪初，电动车不仅是可行的交通工具，甚至成为首选。例如，1900年时电动车在美国占据了道路交通近三分之一的市场份额，尤其受到城市中富裕居民的青睐，他们欣赏电动车行驶平稳、操作简便的特点。

The history of electric cars dates back to the early 19th century,when engineers first began experimenting with battery-powered carriages. In the 1830s, inventors in Scotland and the United States created rudimentary electric vehicles powered by non-rechargeable batteries.These early machines were more novelties than practical tools, but by the 1880s, the invention of the rechargeable lead-acid battery transformed the electric car into a real possibility.As cities expanded and roads improved, electric cars emerged as an attractive solution for clean, quiet, and reliable transportation, especially in urban environments where short trips were common and speed was less critical than convenience.By the 1890s and early 1900s, electric vehicles were not only viable but preferred.In the United States, electric cars made up nearly one-third of all vehicles on the road in 1900. They were especially popular among wealthy urban residents who appreciated their smooth ride and ease of operation.

19世纪的辉煌

与汽油车相比，驾驶电动车不需要费力地手动摇把启动，也无需频繁换挡，使用起来既干净又安静。尤其是女性用户，更倾向于选择电动车。连托马斯·爱迪生本人也拥有一辆电动车。爱迪生坚信电动车才是未来，还曾与亨利·福特合作开发改进电池技术。早期电动车制造商如贝克电动（Baker Electric）、哥伦比亚（Columbia）和底特律电动（Detroit Electric）一度家喻户晓。在纽约等大城市，电动出租车穿梭街头，酒店和公共车库都设有充电站。当时电力在城市中的普及程度甚至超过汽油，而后者在许多地区仍属稀缺资源。1899年，比利时赛车手卡米尔·詹纳兹（Camille Jenatzy）驾驶其子弹形电动车以超过65英里的时速打破世界纪录，速度远超当时的任何汽油车。

Unlike gasoline-powered cars, which were difficult to start and required messy manual gear shifting, electric vehicles started with the simple turn of a key and produced no exhaust.Women in particular gravitated toward electric cars. Thomas Edison himself owned an electric car and worked with Henry Ford to improve battery technologies, believing that electric vehicles were the future. Manufacturers such as Baker Electric, Columbia, and Detroit Electric became household names among early adopters. In cities like New York, electric taxis cruised the streets, and charging stations could be found at hotels and public garages. At the time, electricity was more accessible in cities than gasoline, which was still relatively difficult to obtain in many regions. In 1899, an electric car even set the world speed record when Belgian racer Camille Jenatzy drove his bullet-shaped vehicle over 65 miles per hour, faster than any gasoline car of the day.

20世纪的衰落

然而，尽管电动车早期占据主导地位，它在20世纪10年代开始迅速衰落。导致其没落的原因有多方面，首先是德克萨斯州发现了大量石油储藏，使得汽油变得更便宜、更易获取，尤其是在乡村地区。与此同时，电动车的充电基础设施仍主要集中在城市。1912年，电动起动机的问世解决了汽油车最大的不便——手摇启动的危险与劳累，使得汽油车更容易上手。而最具颠覆性的变化来自亨利·福特的T型车（Model T）与流水线生产模式的推出。T型车不仅价格低廉（在1920年代最低售价仅为300美元），而且耐用、续航强大，适合长途旅行。随着郊区和农村的扩张，汽油车迅速普及，而电动车则在竞争中败下阵来。宣传广告将汽油车塑造为力量、自由与冒险的象征，而电动车则逐渐被认为是“家用”、“过时”的代名词。到了1930年代，电动车几乎在美国道路上绝迹。

But despite this early dominance, electric cars began to lose ground by the 1910s.Several factors contributed to their decline, starting with the discovery of vast petroleum reserves in Texas. Gasoline became cheaper and more widely available, particularly in rural areas. Meanwhile, electric charging infrastructure remained limited to cities. The introduction of the electric starter in 1912 eliminated one of gasoline cars’ biggest drawbacks—the dangerous and exhausting hand crank—making them more user-friendly.Then came the most dramatic shift of all: Henry Ford’s introduction of the Model T and the revolutionary assembly line.The Model T was not only affordable—costing as little as $300 by the 1920s—but also rugged and capable of traveling long distances. With it came a surge in gasoline-powered car ownership, especially in the expanding suburbs and countryside, where electric vehicles simply could not compete. Marketing campaigns emphasized the gasoline car’s power, independence, and adventure, while electric cars became associated with domesticity and outdated technology. By the 1930s, electric cars had virtually disappeared from American roads.

未能实现的复兴

尽管如此，电力驱动的理念从未真正消失。在整个20世纪，电动车在危机时刻时常重新出现在人们视野中。二战期间，因汽油配给政策，电动车曾被短暂考虑为替代方案。1970年代，石油危机引发人们对替代能源的关注，推动汽车制造商和研究人员再次试验电动车。然而，这一时期的电动车通常速度缓慢、外形笨重、续航有限，未能吸引消费者或投资者的信心。

1990年代，加州出台零排放车辆（ZEV）法规，要求大型车企研发无污染车辆，在此背景下通用汽车推出了EV1，这是首批面向消费者的现代电动车之一。通用EV1拥有忠实粉丝，但只以租赁形式提供，最终大多数车辆被回收并销毁，此举引发巨大争议，后来催生了纪录片《谁杀死了电动车？》。尽管一度前景可观，但受限于基础设施、电池技术与政治意愿，电动车的复兴未能真正实现。

Still, the idea of electric propulsion never completely died. Throughout the 20th century, the electric car remained in the background, occasionally re-emerging during moments of crisis.During World War II, when gasoline was rationed, electric vehicles were briefly considered as alternatives. In the 1970s, the oil embargo led to a surge of interest in alternative energy, prompting automakers and researchers to experiment with small electric cars. Yet these vehicles were often slow, unattractive, and limited in range. They failed to capture the imagination of consumers or the confidence of investors. In the 1990s, California’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate required major automakers to develop non-polluting vehicles. This led to the creation of the General Motors EV1, one of the first modern electric cars available to consumers. The EV1 won a passionate fan base, but was leased, not sold—and GM eventually recalled and destroyed most of the vehicles, sparking controversy and inspiring the documentaryWho Killed the Electric Car?.Despite promising signs, the infrastructure, battery technology, and political will simply weren’t strong enough to support a full revival.

21世纪的华丽重生

直到21世纪初，一切才发生根本转变。人们气候变化意识增强，加之锂离子电池技术的飞跃式进展，为新一代电动车的崛起奠定了基础。2008年，特斯拉发布Roadster，一款续航超过200英里的高性能电动车，造型时尚，速度出众，打破了人们对电动车“低速低质”的传统印象。之后推出的Model S与Model 3等车型进一步证明：电动车既可高端，也能普及，既有吸引力，也有实用性。

各国政府纷纷出台补贴政策，投资充电网络，设定减排目标。福特、大众、日产等传统车企也迅速跟进，纷纷推出电动车型。那些让电动车在20世纪初备受青睐的特质——安静、易维护、环保，如今正是它们重返舞台的核心竞争力。电动车曾经的衰落，并非源于技术缺陷，而是因为当时的文化、技术与经济条件不成熟。而它们的回归，也并非一种全新的革命，而是一个“超前理念”的华丽重生。

Everything changed in the early 21st century.Growing awareness of climate change, coupled with rapid advances in lithium-ion battery technology, laid the foundation for a new era of electric mobility.In 2008, Tesla Motors released the Roadster, a sleek, high-performance electric car with over 200 miles of range on a single charge. Unlike previous electric cars, it didn’t compromise on looks or speed. Tesla’s later models—especially the Model S and Model 3—proved that electric cars could be desirable, reliable, and scalable. Governments around the world began offering incentives, investing in charging infrastructure, and setting ambitious emission targets. Soon, major car companies like Ford, Volkswagen, and Nissan joined the race, unveiling their own electric models.Ironically, the qualities that made electric vehicles so appealing at the turn of the 20th century—quiet operation, low maintenance, and environmental friendliness—are the very traits driving their resurgence today.Their fall from grace was not due to poor design, but to a convergence of cultural, technological, and economic forces. And their return is not the birth of something new, but the rebirth of a concept ahead of its time.

Weekly关键词 Key Words

►Electronic vehicle 电动车

所属话题

# Much Excite, Much Ignite

相关阅读

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/aug/03/lost-history-electric-car-future-transport

Weekly FUN Quiz

相信现在你已经了解了“电动车的发展历史”！那就快来参与本期Weekly FUN Quiz👇，告诉老师你的答案吧！

Quiz

Which of the following NOT a factor to explain the fall of electric vehicles in 20th century? 以下哪项不是 20 世纪电动汽车衰落的原因？

A. Lack of charging infrastructure缺乏充电基础设施

B. Invention of the electric starter电动起动机的发明

C. Oil boom 石油繁荣

D. Low travel range of electric cars电动汽车行驶里程短

E. Increase in electricity price 电价上涨