In 1912, electric cars were practical. By 1950, they were gone.

Edison and Ford explored a joint electric vehicle project. Most U.S. cities had electric streetcar networks stretching thousands of kilometers. Then, within a few decades, both disappeared.

According to a 1974 U.S. Senate report, companies linked to General Motors acquired many of these systems. Streetcars were replaced with buses. Many of those buses were made by GM.

Was this transition actually necessary?