Here’s an excellent look at the state of the art in electric cars in the 1960s, courtesy of British Pathé News. Watch this. 

If you don’t think electric vehicles have made tremendous progress in recent years, check out this two-minute newsreel from Pathé News in 1967. Here we get a fascinating look at three battery-powered autos then under development in Great Britain:

+   The well-publicized (at the time) Ford Comuta concept, a micro-sedan with a backbone chassis, four lead-acid batteries under the floor, and two 5 hp DC motors driving the rear wheels. Only 80 inches long, the Comuta boasted a top speed of 40 mph and a range of 40 miles. From two to six prototypes reportedly were built at Ford of Britain’s research center at Dunton, Essex.

+   The Carter Coaster developed by Alistair Carter of Carter Engineering in Tamworth, Staffordshire. Carter’s novel design employed integrated traction motor and braking units that slipped inside each wheel. Through the use of regenerative braking, Carter planned to extend the Coaster’s range 25 percent over comparable vehicles.

+   A rather sketchy (excuse the pun) design then in progress at the British Motor Corporation in Longbridge. Unfortunately, we see next to nothing of BMC’s electric, for which the company at one point absurdly claimed a potential range of 500 miles. But we do get a wonderful glimpse of Sir Alec Issigonis, the designer of the legendary Mini, so we’re grateful for the visit.

So here’s the state of the art in electric automobiles, in Britain at least, for 1967. Video below.