EVs have had great potential for 125 years.
Interestingly, my great grandfather owned battery factories in Danzig, Germany in the 1895-1927 period. He sold to municipal railways, motorboats, and communications companies. Lead acid batteries weren’t dangerous like today’s lithium batteries. He made a very good living and built himself a fine house in the upscale Langfuhr district around 1910. It survived the war and is still standing looking like the day he built it (except it’s now a duplex or apartments instead of a single-family home).
Unfortunately, the Soviets confiscated all of his factories and holdings in 1945 when he and his sister were given to sundown to leave Danzig. His son (my grandfather) and my dad tried to get compensation in the 60s for the stolen wealth, but got nowhere.
Fascinating family history. Hopefully you’ve had the chance to revisit the old neighborhood.