Seven innovative electric cars that preceded Tesla's Model 3

In 2013 Lord Paul Drayson set a new Land Speed Record for a sub-1000kg electric car in his converted Lola-Drayson LMP racer, averaging a speed of 204.185mph in two one-mile runs at Elvington airfield in Yorkshire. In completing the feat, which was designed to show how EVs could be fast and reliable, Drayson eclipsed the previous record by almost 30mph. The LMP car’s original engine is replaced by an 850bhp electric motor, allowing the racer to hit 60mph from a standing start in 3.0sec and 100mph in 5.1sec.

General Motors EV1

General Motor’s EV1, the only car marketed under the GM name, holds the hotly contested title of being the first mass-produced, purpose-developed electric vehicle, with more than 1100 units produced between 1996 and 1999. Like many early EV projects, though, the EV1 was doomed to failure, albeit with varying accounts of what - or who - was responsible for its demise, even prompting conspiracy theories. The most famous of these accused GM of having a pact with the oil industry to sabotage the electric vehicle, which felt threatened by the prospect of oil-free cars. Today, only a few examples remain, after GM crushed the majority of them.

Sebring-Vanguard Citicar

Until the arrival of the Tesla Model S, this angular little thing was actually the US's best selling electric car. It was built by Florida-based Sebring-Vanguard between 1974 and 1977, and sold a total of 4444 units. Measuring 2.5 metres long, it used a single electric motor that produced just 6bhp in its most potent form. Though the design was simple, it was effective, so much so that you could say the Citicar was a spiritual forebear to modern electric city cars like the Renault Twizy.

Sinclair C5

The Sinclair C5 became infamous after its failure to flick the switch on the electric motoring revolution. Pitched by Sir Clive Sinclair as a vehicle, not a car, the three-wheeler drew universal criticism - including from Autocar - for its safety implications and the fact that the ‘driver’’s face was at exhaust-pipe level. Sinclair’s dream for his electric vehicle company followed a Tesla-like model, which, had its floppage never occured, would have culminated in an electric four-seat saloon. Oh, and Lotus lent a hand in the development of the C5. Sound familiar?

Renault Twizy