One of the oldest sales brochures for electric vehicles dates back to 1899 – yes, the electric vehicles already existed back then.
The French company Compagnie Française de Voitures Electromobiles – one of many new car companies in those years – offered a taxi, vis-à-vis, landaulet, coupé and a delivery van.Depending on the model, these had rear-wheel or front-wheel drive. Called “avant-train” or “arrière-train”, which referred to the entire engine unit plus drivetrain. Avant-train for luxury vehicles, as it was lighter and therefore more elegant, arrière-train for work vehicles.
And in the introduction, there is such amusing reading material as ‘the compressed air propulsion is still being tested, with the handicap of high pressure, which is dangerous in case of accidents.’
The company existed from 1898 to 1906. And the brochure from 1899, probably a unique copy, is valued at between 350 and 500€.
