this post was submitted on 10 Nov 2024
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Lady Florence Norman on her motorized scooter, London, UK, 1916 (lemmy.world)
submitted 6 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 0 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (3 children)

You're both sort of wrong. The scooter she's on was manufactured as an electric and converted to petrol. There was debate about which one is in the picture.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 days ago

This appears to be a misunderstanding. The box on the platform is for a battery, yes, but it was used to power an electric ignition coil:

The engine is geared to the wheel by means of a disk clutch. The flywheel, on the right side of the front wheel, contains a 6-volt lighting generator that originally furnished current for lighting and ignition, but the system later was altered by the addition of an ignition coil and four dry-cell batteries. The ignition switch is mounted on the right side of the frame, and the gasoline tank is above the front fender.

https://www.treehugger.com/autoped-was-worlds-first-scooter-4858489

There was no electric motor design in 1916 that could have powered this scooter from a battery that size.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Pretty sure she is on a petrol one - there is a fuel tank above the front wheel, and you can see the fuel line going into the throttle body above the single piston engine. You can also see the exhaust and muffler below and behind the piston.

Also looking into it more, I don't think the Autoped was ever offered with an electric motor. Apparently the confusion comes from the fact that the company was bought out by the battery manufacturer Eveready, and sold as Eveready Autoped. Eveready modified the Autoped by adding a battery and ignition coil, replacing the original magneto system, but propulsion was always by means of a petrol engine.

I don't think the one in the photo has the battery and coil however - the coil can be seen here in front of the gas tank, but is missing in the OP photo.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 6 days ago (2 children)

"sort of wrong" is sadly a highpoint for my dumb ass!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Let's celebrate!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 days ago

Doot doot!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 6 days ago

Hey, sort of wrong is also sort of right and that's more than good enough.