edited by David Barth, 25 February 2009.
Courtesy The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Photos were taken in January 2009.
This is a Brougham Model 61 manufactured by the Anderson Electric Car Company. Detroit Electrics were purchased
primarily by wealthy women who preferred a simple, but elegant car for short, local trips. Two hand levers
controlled the car. The long lever was used to steer while the short lever regulated speed. Both could be folded
out of the way when the car was not being driven to make entrances and exits easier.
Without a conventional internal
combustion motor, gearbox, or chain drive, the Detroit was extremely quiet to operate. In production longer than
any other electric car, the Detroit was built from 1906 to approximately 1939. It is credited with being the first
production automobile to use curved glass.
This car is in the collection of Dean Bryant of Elegant Customs.
