The Baker Motor Vehicle Company was part of the earliest wave of electric vehicles and played an important role in the office of the presidency.
Rather soon electric cars will become quite ubiquitous in modern society. After much controversy and hesitation from consumers and car companies alike, they are striding into the mainstream. But an automobile powered by electricity is not a novel idea - it was actually invented in the 1880s. In fact, electricity competed with gasoline and steam as a popular power option in the cradle of the automobile.
One of the earliest iterations of such a vehicle was made by the Baker Motor Vehicle Company. In a late episode on Hagerty's Barn find Hunter series on YouTube, host Tom Cotter visits the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. There he meets Matt Anderson, the museum's curator of transportation, and they unravel Baker's proud history serving the highest office in America.
Related: Why Henry Ford's Wife Drove This Electric Car In The 1930s
The two men arrive at a cool underground vault that houses additional cars and items that don't fit in the museum. After gawking at amazing vehicles like the incredible-looking Ford X-100 and the built-for-the-masses Ford Econocar, Cotter is introduced to the first non-Ford vehicle in the tour - a 1912 Baker Victoria model.
Founded in 1899 in Cleveland, Ohio by engineer Walter C. Baker and F. Philip Dorn, Baker Motor Vehicle Company created their first electric automobile in 1897. By 1905 the company produced about 400 cars, and by 1906 they became the largest electric vehicle maker in the world, producing around 800 examples per year. Picking up on Baker's rising success, President William Howard Taft added a Baker Electric to the White House fleet of vehicles in 1909.
Taft completely motorized the White House by purchasing the Baker alongside a White steamer car and two gasoline-powered Pierce-Arrows. Three years later, he replaced the 1909 Baker with the 1912 Victoria model shown in the video. It was used by Woodrow Wilson's first wife Ellen, his second wife Edith, and by the first ladies of the next two administrations! It proudly remained in use until 1928 - 12 years after the last Baker electric cars were made.
Electric vehicles gained early popularity in the automotive world because (among other reasons) they avoided the dangerous task of starting a car with a hand crank. Similar to most vehicles of the period, Baker's offerings featured wooden bodies - not exactly the sturdiest construction by modern standards. Unlike the boats we have today though, these cars didn't even weigh one thousand pounds.
The Baker Victoria was powered by a General Electric 48-volt, four-pole electric motor that sent power through a now-conventional driveshaft and differential. An alternate source of power could be had through a long-lasting, nickel-iron Edison battery (yes, that Edison). Sorry EV fanatics - no sophisticated regenerative braking to be found here. Still, the Baker was very impressive for its time, and its founder created a vehicle that nearly broke the world land speed record!
A unique feature that Tom Cotter notices is the fact that the Baker is donned with leather fenders. Anderson quips that leather fenders was sort of like the 1910s equivalent to carbon fiber; a lightweight material that was very functional. Baker's cars are so captivating to this day that even Jay Leno has one in his collection.
Related: Underground Vault In The Henry Ford Museum Houses Extremely Rare Ford Concept Car
Unfortunately the beautiful Baker in the vault is not drivable. As Matt Anderson explains, the museum does not have the resources or staff to properly maintain so many cars. This is a real shame, because we'd love to see this pristine example being enjoyed on our nation's roads - at least once in a while. As you might imagine there are not many original Baker Electrics left in existence. However, for the price of a well-optioned Audi RS5 or a base Porsche 911, you can find ones that have been very well restored.
The Henry Ford - also known as the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation - is a collection of not just historic automobiles, but home to many American inventions including agricultural equipment and toasters! Oddly, the Henry Ford museum contains vehicles that don't have a blue oval - this is for a couple of reasons. One is because Henry Ford himself appreciated and collected a variety of makes and models during his time. Also, when he passed away in 1947, the museum began to distance itself as a separate entity from Ford Motor Company.
Despite improving battery technology and investing in charging infrastructure, Baker's cars were no match for the rise of gasoline power. In 1913 Detroit Electric overtook them in sales and the company merged with fellow Cleveland automaker Rauch & Lang in 1914. With Cadillac's invention of the electric starter in 1912, this added convenience drove internal combustion to the forefront and by 1916 the last Baker cars were made.
Battery-powered cars experienced quite the role reversal during the birth of the automobile. Completely opposite of the auto industry today, electric power eventually gave way to gasoline, ushering in a long period of liquid dinosaur prominence. By being one of the first electric cars ever made and serving five first ladies of the White House, the 1912 Baker Victoria was a crucial landmark on the timeline of the automobile.
Joel Hannah is a car enthusiast from Charlotte, North Carolina. Growing up in NASCAR country, his father took him to many races which turned him into a gearhead for life. After college his passion led him to work various jobs in the auto dealership setting where he still works today. Joel religiously follows Formula 1 and has interest in other motorsports. He daily drives a Mk5 GTI. In his spare time he can be found detailing cars, karting with friends, or on an adventure with his fiancée.