With the release of 2013's Cadillac ATS, this American auto maker is setting itself up to compete with high-powered and high-mileage vehicles from the competition. Long before anyone else was thinking about electric cars, GM was poised to build an EV Caddy, exactly 100 years ago.

In 1912, GM introduced the electric starter on their Cadillac model line. Electric start vehicles were very popular back then, because instead of cranking the car (yes, they really used to do that!) a driver could simply get in, activate their ignition, and go.

"Hand cranking was the No. 1 injury risk in those early days of the automobile," says Greg Wallace, director of General Motors Heritage Center.¹

In fact, at the turn of the century gas powered cars were the "visionary, alternative-fuel vehicles." Also, smaller vehicles were coveted by the general public, mostly because larger cars were seen as lavish and only for the wealthy.

Though the electric starter revolutionized automobiles a century ago, fully electric cars would try and fail over and over again, mostly due to issues with batteries and fires. Today, GM continues to produce safe EV and hybrid cars. At Motor Werks Cadillac, located at 206 N Cook St in Barrington, IL 60010, we patiently await a future made up of EV Cadillacs.

Source: ¹http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/02/killed-electric-car-cadillac-starter-unladylike-positions-short-range/