1917 Milburn Light Electric

Milburn was one of the more successful makers of electric automobiles. Their cars were priced low and were light weight. The company also offered a unique a battery pack on rollers, allowing fresh batteries to be installed quickly. Eliminating the downtime required for re-charging made the Milburn much more versatile and useful than other electric cars.

Although motoring men and women shared a taste for luxury and speed in their driving, manufacturers tended to assume that gas cars were for men, electric cars were for women. Milburn and other electric auto makers’ ads typically featured fashionable women driving children to outings.

One of Milburn’s best customers was the U.S. Secret Service during President Woodrow Wilson’s term (1913-1921). These quiet cars were perfect for parade work or for providing a “tail” for the first family.

More from our automobile collection:

In our current exhibit, From Carriage to Classic: How Automobiles Transformed America, we present the origin story of the American automobile through 23 cars from Heritage’s permanent collection of antique and classic automobiles. Come along for a ride from the late 1800s to the 1960s and watch the car evolve from a horseless carriage to a streamlined symbol of freedom and independence.