By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
What's The JamWhat's The Jam
  • Home
  • Latest News
    • UK News
    • World News
  • Super ViralHot
  • Lifestyle
    • Health and Fitness
    • Photography
    • Property
  • Humor
  • Celebrity
  • Weird
  • Videos
  • All Topics
    • Babies and Kids
    • Celebrity
    • Comedy and Humor
    • Documentary and Reportage
    • Fails
    • Health and Fitness
    • Holidays and Travel
    • Influencers and Models
    • Latest Videos
    • Life Hacks
    • Lifestyle
    • Nature and Wildlife
    • Pets and Animals
    • Photography
    • Property
    • Real Life
    • Sport
    • Strange and Bizarre
    • Super Viral
    • UK News
    • World News
Search
  • Health and Fitness
  • Holidays and Travel
  • Nature and Wildlife
  • Pets and Animals
  • Photography
  • Babies and Kids
  • Comedy and Humor
  • Fails
  • Real Life
  • Strange and Bizarre
  • Submit News
  • Customize Interests
  • Bookmarks
  • Newsletter
  • Who Are We
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Write For Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact
© 2023 What's The Jam. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Historic electric car that predates Tesla by century goes on sale for £160,000
Share
Notification Show More
Aa
What's The JamWhat's The Jam
Aa
  • News
  • World
  • Viral
  • Funny
  • Weird
  • Celebrity
  • DIY
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Videos
Search
  • Home
    • News
    • World
    • Super Viral
    • Videos
  • All Topics
    • Babies and Kids
    • Celebrity
    • Comedy and Humor
    • Documentary and Reportage
    • Fails
    • Health and Fitness
    • Holidays and Travel
    • Influencers and Models
    • Life Hacks
    • Lifestyle
    • Nature and Wildlife
    • Pets and Animals
    • Photography
    • Property
    • Real Life
    • Sport
    • Strange and Bizarre
  • Quick Links
    • Customize Interests
    • Bookmarks
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of use
    • Write For Us
    • Advertise
    • Contact
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Write For Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact
© 2023 What's The Jam. All Rights Reserved.
A rare 1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet is up for auction at £160k. This restored vintage EV offers 100 miles per charge and timeless motoring history.
World News

Historic electric car that predates Tesla by century goes on sale for £160,000

News Room
Last updated: 2025/09/02 at 12:47 PM
News Room
Share
4 Min Read
1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet. (Jam Press/Courtesy of RM Sotheby's)
SHARE

A century-old electric car that predates Tesla is hitting the market – and it could set you back a cool £160,000.

The 1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet, made during World War I, is one of just two known surviving examples.

Capable of 100 miles on a single charge and topping out at 23mph, this pioneering vehicle was restored after being discovered abandoned in a shed in the 1980s, as reported by Whats The Jam.

READ MORE: Ford Escort with top speed of 150mph sells for over £81,000 – double its original price

- Advertisement -

Its listing states: “It is extremely rare to find any of the pioneering Detroit Electrics in a style other than the famous, phone booth-like Brougham, so loved by wealthy society women of the 1910s.

A rare 1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet is up for auction at £160k. This restored vintage EV offers 100 miles per charge and timeless motoring history.
1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet. (Jam Press/Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s)

“Yet the factory did build other designs, including some rakish open roadsters and convertibles.

“Among the latter was the Model 62 Cabriolet, which featured railroad-style windows and a fully insulated convertible top.

“Significantly, this body was somewhat lighter than the larger Brougham coachwork, resulting in what amounted to a factory hot rod of sorts.”

A rare 1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet is up for auction at £160k. This restored vintage EV offers 100 miles per charge and timeless motoring history.
Inside the 1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet. (Jam Press/Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s)

The Model 62 was aimed at male drivers, with aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss among its early owners.

- Advertisement -

This particular Model 62A was shipped to a New York dealer in October 1916 for customer W.H. Downey, thought to be a chief engineer of a New York power plant.

It was later found tucked away next to a New Jersey gas station in the late 1980s before passing through several hands and being fully restored.

A rare 1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet is up for auction at £160k. This restored vintage EV offers 100 miles per charge and timeless motoring history.
1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet. (Jam Press/Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s)

The car is finished in formal black with a matching top and button-tufted blue interior.

- Advertisement -

It retains charming period features, including a folding seat below the dashboard for a footman or maid, polished wood windshield frame, wire wheels and painted lamps.

The listing notes: “Among the most sought-after vintage electric cars, an open Detroit Electric is a rare beast indeed.

A rare 1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet is up for auction at £160k. This restored vintage EV offers 100 miles per charge and timeless motoring history.
1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet. (Jam Press/Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s)

“The chance to acquire this one should not be missed by the devout connoisseur of turn-of-the-century alternative power, or simply the enthusiast who seeks something just a little different to accompany his or her Tesla.”

The historic car will be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s in Hershey, Pennsylvania, this October, offering a rare opportunity to own a piece of electric motoring history.

READ MORE: Super rare Aston Martin – one of only 77 made – set to sell for £1.18m

A rare 1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet is up for auction at £160k. This restored vintage EV offers 100 miles per charge and timeless motoring history.
1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet. (Jam Press/Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s)
A rare 1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet is up for auction at £160k. This restored vintage EV offers 100 miles per charge and timeless motoring history.
Inside the 1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet. (Jam Press/Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s)
A rare 1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet is up for auction at £160k. This restored vintage EV offers 100 miles per charge and timeless motoring history.
1917 Detroit Electric Model 62A Cabriolet. (Jam Press/Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s)

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • X

Have a story to tell? Hello@whatsthejam.com
TAGGED: auction, cars, history, news, selling, USA, vintage cars

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
[mc4wp_form]
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Copy Link Print
Share
What do you think?
Love0
Sad0
Happy0
Sleepy0
Angry0
Dead0
Wink0
Previous Article A rare white deer has been spotted at Loch of the Lowes in Scotland, sparking awe and fascination with its ties to Celtic myths, Arthurian legend, and royal folklore. Rare white deer linked to King Arthur relaxes by loch in front of amazed tourists
Next Article Mum of three spends £2,000 on gifts by August to be Christmas ready months in advance saying early shopping eases stress spreads cost and ensures a festive season of joy. Mum-of-three gets Christmas ready in August with £2,000 worth of gifts already wrapped
Leave a comment Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay Connected

235.3k Followers Like
69.1k Followers Follow
11.6k Followers Pin
56.4k Followers Follow
136k Subscribers Subscribe
4.4k Followers Follow
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

Latest News

A Tesco in Gillingham amused shoppers after stacking crates of beer under a “Back to school ready” sign, with parents joking it was the perfect end-of-holidays display.
Shopper stunned by Tesco’s back to school display filled with beer
UK News 5 September 2025
Shakira’s Mexico concert was delayed nearly three hours after torrential rain flooded her dressing room, but the star braved the storm to perform for her loyal fans.
Shakira’s dressing room flooded by torrential rain before concert
Celebrity 5 September 2025
A tiny Spanish village, Carrascosa de la Sierra, hosts the annual Ham Throwing Championship where locals hurl wrapped hams, with this year’s winning throw reaching 20.55m.
Spanish village hosts bizarre ham-throwing contest
World News 5 September 2025
Amateur detectorist David McIntyre Haigh unearthed a hoard of Iron Age Corieltauvi gold coins near Whitwell, Derbyshire, with the rare find set to fetch around £5,000 at auction.
Hoard of British iron age gold coins unearthed by amateur treasure hunter set to fetch thousands
UK News 5 September 2025

You Might also Like

A Tesco in Gillingham amused shoppers after stacking crates of beer under a “Back to school ready” sign, with parents joking it was the perfect end-of-holidays display.
UK News

Shopper stunned by Tesco’s back to school display filled with beer

5 September 2025
Shakira’s Mexico concert was delayed nearly three hours after torrential rain flooded her dressing room, but the star braved the storm to perform for her loyal fans.
Celebrity

Shakira’s dressing room flooded by torrential rain before concert

5 September 2025
A tiny Spanish village, Carrascosa de la Sierra, hosts the annual Ham Throwing Championship where locals hurl wrapped hams, with this year’s winning throw reaching 20.55m.
World News

Spanish village hosts bizarre ham-throwing contest

5 September 2025
Amateur detectorist David McIntyre Haigh unearthed a hoard of Iron Age Corieltauvi gold coins near Whitwell, Derbyshire, with the rare find set to fetch around £5,000 at auction.
UK News

Hoard of British iron age gold coins unearthed by amateur treasure hunter set to fetch thousands

5 September 2025
A rare 1967 Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2, hailed as one of the most beautiful ever made, has sold for £292,500, boasting V12 power, low mileage and exceptional originality.
UK News

Stunning classic Lamborghini – dubbed most beautiful ever made – sells for nearly £300,000

5 September 2025
Tom Kerridge has sparked backlash after charging £84.50 for a 390g fillet steak at his Chelsea pub The Chalk Freehouse, though some fans praised the quality and menu.
UK News

Tom Kerridge slammed for charging £84.50 for a meat dish at his posh pub

5 September 2025
A great horned owl nicknamed Keeper was rescued after getting tangled in a football net at a Texas school, with police joking it was trying to play Quidditch.
Pets and Animals

Hapless owl ends up tangled in football nets

5 September 2025
Kentucky man Michael Perry won \$250,000 on a scratch-off ticket and says his lottery secret is always buying two at a time, with plans to pay off his house and celebrate.
World News

Lottery winner reveals simple trick that won him £185,000

5 September 2025
//

What’s The Jam is your one stop website for the latest viral and weird news from around the world.

 
Have a story to tell? Hello@whatsthejam.com

Quick Link

  • Customize Interests
  • Bookmarks
  • Write for Us
  • Newsletter
  • About Us

Top Categories

  • UK News
  • World News
  • Latest Videos
  • Lifestyle
  • Super Viral

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

[mc4wp_form]

What's The JamWhat's The Jam
Follow US
© 2023 What's The Jam. All Rights Reserved.
Go to mobile version
adbanner
AdBlock Detected
Our site is an advertising supported site. Please whitelist to support our site.
Okay, I'll Whitelist
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?