Which car manufacturer introduced the first electric starter?

Which car manufacturer introduced the first electric starter? Cadillac introduced the first successful electric starter in a production automobile. The breakthrough appeared in the 1912 Cadillac Model Thirty, replacing the dangerous hand crank with an electric self-starting system.

Charles F. Kettering and the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company, known as Delco, developed the practical system with support from Cadillac chief Henry Leland. The starter motor drew power from the car’s battery to crank the engine, and the same general electrical system also supported ignition and lighting.

Before this innovation, motorists normally had to turn a hand crank to start an engine. A backfire could make the crank kick violently, causing serious injuries. Cadillac’s electric starter made gasoline cars easier and safer to operate and helped broaden their appeal. Cadillac won the Dewar Trophy in 1912 for its electric starting and lighting innovation; the system was later adopted by other manufacturers.