I'm not trying to pick on the O.G. Nissan Leaf. It was a groundbreaking car that brought electrification to the masses before anything else. But it wasn't exactly a long-range EV. In fact, it offered a similar range to this nearly 100-year-old EV. According to Mecum Auctions, this 1918 Detroit Electric Model 75B, that went up for auction during Monterey Car Week, had an original range of 80 miles. There are Mk7 VW e-Golfs that'd be happy with that range. It does come with a caveat, though: the Detroit Electric had a top speed of just 20 mph, so you can assume that it wasn't exactly tested on the EPA range cycle.
Built by the Anderson Electric Car Company, the Detroit Electric had 42 separate lead-acid batteries, 21 at the front and 21 at the rear. They powered a single 4.28-horsepower electric motor mounted under the floor that sent power to a rear differential. This specific example is a bit different, though, because it's been fitted with modern batteries. There's no word on what its range is with the newer batteries, but I'd imagine it's quite a bit more.
