COLUMBIA ELECTRIC AUTOMOBILE, 1904 

 Gift of Mrs. Sewell M. Johnson in 1933 (USNM 310575) 



The Columbia Mark LX electric runabout was first in- 

 troduced in the fall of 1903 by the Electric Vehicle Co., of 

 Hartford, Conn. This one (fig. 83) was used by Dr. J. O. 

 Skinner until 1931, and represents a typical doctor's vehi- 

 cle of the early period of motoring when an electric vehicle 

 was more reliable than a gasoline one. 



This automobile was designed to reduce the dead weight 

 as much as possible without sacrificing its traveling capac- 

 ity. The running gear and body were lightened as much 

 as was thought consistent with safety and durability, to 

 allow more weight in the battery and the motor for 

 increased storage capacity and power. The vehicle seats 

 two persons, and a 40-mile traveling range was claimed for 

 it. The weight is 1,200 pounds, and the maximum speed 

 was about 15 miles an hour. 



The frame consists of oak sills reinforced by angle steel 

 1% inches on each side. All springs are of the semielliptic 

 type, 36 inches long. The front springs are shackled at 

 their rear ends, the rear springs at their front ends. A 

 Collins axle with plain bearings is used in front, and a large 

 tubular axle equipped with roller bearings is employed in 

 the rear. The wheelbase is 64 inches and the tread 48 

 inches. The 24-inch-diameter artillery wheels carry new 

 30-by-3-inch clincher tires and inner tubes contributed by 

 Harvey S. Firestone, Jr., in May 1954. The car is steered 

 by a side lever located at the left of the operator. A single 

 controller handle, also located at the operator's left, gov- 

 erned the speeds, forward and reverse. 



The body has a boxlike compartment, front and rear, 

 each originally containing half of the battery equipment. 

 The batteries consisted of 20 two-volt cells, but none are in 

 place now. They had a capacity of 120 ampere hours at 

 a 30-ampere discharge rate. 



The motor, believed to have been made by the General 

 Electric Co., is of 6-pole construction, completely enclosed, 

 and rated at 30 amperes at 40 volts. It is located in the 

 body of the vehicle beneath the seat, rather than on the 



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