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 of Cleveland, Ohio, known for their especially 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 its movement.

The JX-7 Brougham offered here is a lovely example of the classic Rauch & Lang electric. In previous ownership the car underwent a comprehensive restoration, finished in black with matching wooden-spoke “artillery” wheels, with virtually no detail left untouched. The interior is upholstered in rich, period-correct brown and white cord fabric, and features the unusual configuration common to electric cars of the period, with the driver commanding the car via pedals, side lever, and steering tiller from the sofa-like rear seat, and a front-facing passenger riding in a swiveling captain’s chair ahead of them. Mounted in the dashboard are a collection of vintage instruments, including a Warner Auto-Meter and an eight-day Waltham clock. During restoration the car was updated to utilize a modern battery system, with four in the front and three in the rear, maintaining proper weight distribution yet ensuring ease of use on modern roads.

Indisputably one of the finest restored vintage electric cars on the market, this Rauch & Lang has been beautifully finished, inside and out, to the very highest of standards. Extremely few vintage electric cars have been so beautifully finished, to such a fine quality. With the modern EV trend leading to a new appreciation in these century-old innovators, it would mark the ideal companion vehicle to a Tesla, Rivian, or the like in one’s collection, especially for the enthusiast seeking the very best available.