.png)
The 'Bersey cab' first appeared on London's streets in 1897, and it's now part of a fascinating new exhibition at the Science Museum that seeks to show how nineteenth century inventions paved the way for today's new technologies.
The Bersey cab challenges the common perception of electric cars as a modern invention, according to Selina Hurley, curator of Climate Changing Stories.
The Bersey cab challenges the common perception of electric cars as a modern invention, according to Selina Hurley, curator of Climate Changing Stories.
She said: "We think of electric cars as something really futuristic, something we're really investing in to cut emissions for climate change, but they are actually a lot older than we think."
The exhibition showcases bright ideas from the past (Picture: Science Museum)
Commissioned by General Manager of the London Electric Cab Company, Walter Bersey, there were 12 cabs to begin with, but the fleet had expanded to 75 by the first decade of the 20th century.
Ms Hurley explained that originally they were powered by batteries with fragile glass plates on top and would be recharged in the one recharging station in existence at the time in Lambeth.
"The taxis had a range of about 30 miles, so drivers had to plan their routes to make sure they'd get back to the station in time," she said.
"It originally started about 9mph and with a few tweaks and developments they got it up to 12mph, so probably about the same as you'd go in a London taxi today!"
The exhibition combines science, artwork and artefacts to show the ways humans have responded to the changing world around them.
Entry to the display is free and it runs until June 2014.
The exhibition showcases bright ideas from the past (Picture: Science Museum)Commissioned by General Manager of the London Electric Cab Company, Walter Bersey, there were 12 cabs to begin with, but the fleet had expanded to 75 by the first decade of the 20th century.
Ms Hurley explained that originally they were powered by batteries with fragile glass plates on top and would be recharged in the one recharging station in existence at the time in Lambeth.
"The taxis had a range of about 30 miles, so drivers had to plan their routes to make sure they'd get back to the station in time," she said.
"It originally started about 9mph and with a few tweaks and developments they got it up to 12mph, so probably about the same as you'd go in a London taxi today!"
The exhibition combines science, artwork and artefacts to show the ways humans have responded to the changing world around them.
Entry to the display is free and it runs until June 2014.
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Grace A Comment!