To the casual enthusiast it may come as a surprise that the electric automobile predates today’s Teslas and the like by a century, with numerous American manufacturers having offered battery-powered cars from the 1900s to the 1930s. One of the most respected was Rauch & Lang, initially of Cleveland, Ohio, known for their solidly built and well-constructed models, which featured the upright, formal carriage-like styling typical of the period. They had a wonderful charm and operated in near-total silence, with only the squeak of the wheels to signify their movement. According to historian Galen Handy, about 65 Rauch & Lang electrics remain today.

The C55 offered here is a wonderful example of the traditional Rauch & Lang electric, made in the final season of Cleveland-based production. A larger and roomier coach model on the 102-inch-wheelbase chassis, it features one of the company’s more interesting innovations, the Double Control arrangement, in which it can be driven from either the rear seat or by a chauffeur in one of the two forward jump seats. Accordingly, the interior is equipped with two steering tillers and two sets of foot pedals. Never was the term “backseat driver” more appropriate than in a Double Control Rauch & Lang.

Formerly part of the Robert B. McDaniel Collection in Abilene, Texas, for many years, the C55 is in older, restored condition throughout and would be well-suited to freshening, then for local driving to shows and cruise nights where it is virtually guaranteed to be the only one like it in attendance. Alternatively, it would be quite an entertaining way to chauffeur one’s guests around a larger collection complex, since it is exhaust-free.