Charles Proteus Steinmetz was passionate about the electric car. The German-born mathematician and electrical engineer was probably inspired by his purchase of a 1914 Detroit Edison "Duplex Drive Brougham". In the picture at left, Steinmetz appears with his adopted son and grandchildren.
Targeting the Model-T
By focusing his mastery of electrical engineering upon automotive applications, Charles Steinmetz took aim at Henry Ford and his popular, gas-powered vehicle: the Model-T. Steinmetz sought to improve upon Ford's design by creating an electric-powered equivalent that polluted less, but was still affordable. In 1914, Steinmetz urged the National Electric Light Association (NELA) to establish a network of charging stations that would help make electric cars practical for consumers across the United States – just as modern-day gas stations have become.
Designing a Compact Double-Rotor
In 1917, while performing contract work on the Electric Roadster vehicle for the Dey Electric Company, Steinmetz designed a unique and compact double-rotor, a component of the rear axle. Because of this clever design, the resulting assembly weighed only 200 pounds, and eliminated the need for a mechanical differential or drive shaft. This design was discussed in an untitled paper that Steinmetz published in March of 1920, and supported Steinmetz's stature as one of the pioneers of the Electric Age.
The Steinmetz Electric Car Company
Charles Proteus Steinmetz went on to found his own company, the Steinmetz Electric Car Company, in 1920. His intention was to produce electric trucks for the industrial and commercial markets, a light delivery van, and (eventually) passenger cars. A few prototypes were manufactured in Syracuse, New York, and then tested beginning in 1922. Few vehicles were sold, however, and the company ceased operations following Steinmetz' death in 1923.
An All-Aluminum Automobile
During a recent open-meeting of the Capital Region Energy Forum (CREF), held in Schenectady at the Edison Exploratorium, I had the opportunity to connect personally to Steinmetz' history by viewing his restored 1914 "Duplex Drive Brougham", on loan from nearby Union College. The vintage car was found forty years after Steinmetz' death in a farmer's field in Glenville (just north of Schenectady), and was purchased by Union College 1971. An all-aluminum automobile, it has a top speed of approximately 25 mph. It is driven with a tiller instead of a steering wheel, and can travel approximately fifty miles on a single charge.
From the Electric Age to Planet of the Apes
For this blogger, the experience was reminiscent of that feeling of deja vu, as conveyed by Charlton Heston's character when he stumbles across the Statue of Liberty in the 1968 movie "Planet of the Apes". Both this restored Steinmetz electric vehicle, and the water turbines that Steinmetz designed (and which were restored recently for use on the powerful Hudson River in Mechanicville, New York), have renewed relevance in the year 2008 - a true mark of design ideas from a master engineer.
Editor's Note: This is the third in a multi-part series about Charles Proteus Steinmetz. Click here for Part 2. Part 4 will run later on CR4.
Resources:
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Proteus_Steinmetz
Union College - http://www.union.edu (various web sites at this domain)
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) -http://www.ieee.org/organizations/pes/public/2005/sep/peshistory.html
Institute of Chemisty, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem - http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/history/steinmetz.html
Schenectady History –
http://www.schenectadyhistory.org (various sites at this domain)
Encyclopedia.com -
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3468300289.html
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