What was the name of the electric car that first exceeded 100 km/h on land in 1899?
Answer
La Jamais Contente
La Jamais Contente was the electric car that first exceeded 100 km/h on land in 1899.
Belgian racing driver Camille Jenatzy drove the cigar-shaped vehicle near Achères, France, on 29 April 1899. Its recorded speed was about 105.88 km/h, making it the first road vehicle to pass the 100-km/h threshold.
The car used two direct-drive electric motors and a substantial battery pack. Its unusual aerodynamic body was made from a lightweight alloy, and its name means “The Never Satisfied.”
This record is often confused with the first automobile speed record overall. La Jamais Contente did not merely set an electric-car record; it established the first officially recognized land-speed record above 100 km/h.