Brazil created an electric car 34 years before Elon Musk launched the first Tesla

 Brazil created an electric car 34 years before Elon Musk launched the first Tesla

Brazil created an electric car 34 years before Elon Musk launched the first Tesla

Gurgel Itaipu had a look reminiscent of the Tesla Cybertruck, and a range of up to 80 km with a single battery charge

Those who think that electric cars are new, or even an invention of the American Tesla, are mistaken. The first models were presented around 1830 in Scotland, and at the end of the 19th century, electric motors were the preferred form of automotive propulsion, as they were easier to operate and provided a more comfortable ride than combustion vehicles at the time.

And long before Elon Musk learned to ride a bike, Brazilians were already experimenting with the technology. In 1974, João Conrado do Amaral Gurgel, founder of the national automaker Gurgel Motores S/A, presented the Itaipu, the first electric car in Latin America.

With a trapezoidal shape, which, by the way, resembles the Cybertruck, the vehicle was powered by a 3.2 kW electric motor, equivalent to 4.2 hp and fed by 10 batteries: three in the front, two behind the seats and five more in the rear. It had a range of 60 to 80 km at a maximum speed of 50 km/h, and a full recharge took 10 hours. There was only room for the driver and passenger, plus some luggage in a space behind the seats.

Gurgel's idea was to test 20 Itaipu units in June 1975 on the streets of Rio Claro, where the company's factory was located. In addition to the cars, charging points would also be installed. Unfortunately, due to its short range and long recharge time, the Itaipu never got beyond the prototype stage and the plan never came to fruition.



Gurgel Itaipu E-400, an electric van from the 1980s. Credit: Quatro Rodas Magazine

Gurgel did not give up on the idea of ​​an electric car and between 1981 and 1982 his automaker produced in small quantities the Itaipu E-400, an electric van powered by eight batteries, with a maximum speed of 70 km/h and a range of up to 100 km in “economy mode”, which limits the speed to 45 km/h.

Gurgel filed for bankruptcy in 1993, after the breakup of agreements with the governments of SP and Ceará that provided for the construction of a new factory, and the opening of the automotive market promoted by then-president Fernando Collor de Mello