Pictured and in the video is the 1960 The Electric Shopper Model FG-75 and making it's rounds which began at the Historic Electric Vehicle Foundation and the USA EV 2022 Tour!
The video is as close as we could come until we catch up to the one featured in the image and is now at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
About the early EV: The Electric Car Company of California, Inc. opened at 495 Alamitos Street in Long Beach, California in 1951. The company was started by several individuals who had gained experience working for other electric shopping car manufactures. Elmer Woodring took the role of Treasurer of the new business while Harry R. Casteel served as Vice President and L. Fred Wasson as President. Elmer Woodring and Harry R. Casteel had both worked as salesmen for Autoette Sales & Service Co. during the late 40s.
Clearly, the new firm set out to copy the Autoette line eventually producing a line of “pleasure cars,” industrial cars, and the Electric Golfer. The pleasure cars were marketed under the name Electric Shopper denoting their convenience and intended use. The line also included light trucks flatbed carriers and even an eight passenger personnel carrier for use at country clubs, factories, airports, resorts, amusement parks and more.
In 1960 the company, under the leadership of their new President, Byron T. Cline, unveiled their newest model, the FG-75, designed to compete with the recently unveiled Taylor-Dunn Trident, a fiberglass, late 1950's styled shopping car. The “New” Electric Shopper was described by the maker as “A dramatic departure from the Electric Car design as you have known it.” The new look offered “a low, sweeping silhouette of the distinctive new big cars. Silent while in motion, yet strong in construction, the same Electric Shopper dependability you have enjoyed for more than 25 years.” The claim of 25 years being a bit of an exaggeration, the company never let the facts ruin a good sales pitch.
The Model FG-75 Electric Shopper weighed in at a hefty 700 lbs., and was driven with a 1.5 HP, 24 Volt DC Series Wound Electric Motor. Speed as advertised was 18 mph with a range of 30 to 35 miles on a single charge. Popular options included foot controls in lieu of the standard hand controls, a removable fiberglass top, windshield, and side curtains for inclement weather.
Alas the “New” Electric Shopper would be short lived when in late 1962 Byron Cline decided to sell to former employees Elmer Woodring and Wilfred Billard who were consolidating several businesses under the Electric Car Sales & Service name thus ending the run of the Electric Shopper.
Thanks to the Historic Electric Vehicle Foundation for their education and contributions to history. "The HEVF are truly in the spirit of a non profit and at this time 100 % of any donation no matter how small goes directly to the purchase of historic electric vehicles for the museum.
If an EV Club wants to take on a project I would suggest they pool their resources and do fundraising in-house or their own crowd funding and purchase a vehicle that will go directly the museum under the name of their EV Club. This way they know exactly where every penny went and all the members can take pride in their donation to the museum."
Roderick Wilde, Executive Director, Historic Electric Vehicle Foundation.