Was the Toyota Prius the first electric car?

No—the Toyota Prius was not the first electric car. It is a hybrid vehicle that combines a gasoline engine with an electric motor, first launched in Japan in 1997 and later worldwide. Electric cars existed long before the Prius, with early examples appearing in the late 19th century and recurring waves of development through the 20th century. The Prius was groundbreaking as the first mass-produced hybrid, but it was never a pure battery-electric vehicle.

What the Prius actually was

When Toyota introduced the Prius in 1997, it pioneered mass-market hybrid technology: a small gasoline engine working alongside an electric motor and a battery pack to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions. Early Priuses were “self-charging” hybrids (HEVs)—they recaptured energy through regenerative braking and the engine but could not be plugged in.

Toyota expanded the lineup in 2012 with the Prius Plug-in Hybrid (later called Prius Prime), which can be charged from a wall outlet and drive modest distances on electricity alone before the gasoline engine assists. None of these models are battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), which run solely on electricity and have no gasoline engine.

A brief history of electric cars

Electric vehicles predate the Prius by more than a century. The technology has evolved in waves, from early city cars to modern long-range models.

• 1888: The Flocken Elektrowagen in Germany is often cited as the first practical electric car.
• 1890: William Morrison’s electric carriage debuts in the U.S., sparking interest in EVs.
• 1897: Electric taxis operate in New York City, marking early urban EV adoption.
• 1907–1939: Detroit Electric produces thousands of electric cars, popular with city drivers.
• 1996–1999: General Motors leases the EV1, a modern, purpose-built electric car with limited range.
• 1997: Toyota launches the RAV4 EV (battery-electric) in limited numbers alongside the hybrid Prius.
• 2008: Tesla’s Roadster demonstrates long-range lithium-ion battery capability in a sports car.
• 2010: Nissan introduces the Leaf, the first mass-market global BEV of the modern era.
• 2012: Tesla Model S popularizes long-range, high-performance BEVs, accelerating mainstream adoption.

These milestones show that electric cars emerged long before hybrids and gained modern momentum well before the Prius became synonymous with eco-friendly driving.

Hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric: what’s the difference?

The confusion often stems from the word “electric,” which appears in multiple drivetrain types. Here’s how they differ.

• Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV): Uses both a gasoline engine and an electric motor; cannot be plugged in. The Prius (non-plug-in) is an HEV.
• Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV): Has a larger battery that can be charged from the grid for short all-electric driving, with a gasoline engine as backup. The Prius Plug-in/Prime is a PHEV.
• Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV): Runs entirely on electricity with no gasoline engine or tailpipe. Examples include the Nissan Leaf and Tesla models.

Only BEVs are considered “fully electric cars.” Hybrids like the Prius use electricity as part of a system that still relies on gasoline.

Why the confusion persists

The Prius became a cultural touchstone for green motoring in the 2000s, frequently featured in media and policy discussions. Because it includes an electric motor and battery, some people colloquially referred to it as an “electric car,” blurring distinctions. Marketing language and early reporting sometimes compounded the mix-up, even as pure EVs followed a separate trajectory.

Bottom line

The Toyota Prius was the first mass-produced hybrid, not the first electric car. Electric vehicles have been around since the 1800s, and modern BEVs—like the Nissan Leaf and Tesla models—represent a different, all-electric category that the Prius does not occupy.

Summary

No, the Prius was not the first electric car. It is a hybrid (and later a plug-in hybrid) that helped mainstream electrified powertrains, while true battery-electric cars existed long before and developed along a separate path into today’s long-range BEVs.

What was the first fully electric car?

The Flocken Elektrowagen, built by German inventor Andreas Flocken in 1888, is considered the first “real” or functional electric car. However, several earlier prototypes existed between 1832 and 1839, such as Robert Anderson’s, and Thomas Parker also built a practical electric car in 1884.
 
Early Prototypes & Developments

• 1832-1839: Scottish inventor Robert Anderson is credited with inventing the first electric car, though these were not fully functional. 
• 1884: Thomas Parker built what’s described as the first practical electric car in Wolverhampton, England, using his own high-capacity, rechargeable batteries. 

The First “Real” Electric Car 

• 1888: The Flocken Elektrowagen, a four-wheeled electric buggy, is widely regarded as the first true electric car. It was designed by Andreas Flocken and featured a 0.7 kW electric motor and a 100 kg battery.

Growth and Decline

• Electric cars were initially preferred over gasoline-powered cars for their quiet and smooth operation. 
• By the early 1900s, electric cars accounted for a significant portion of all vehicles on the road in the US, with some historians estimating they outnumbered gasoline-powered cars in 1899 and 1900. 
• However, improvements in gasoline cars and lower fuel prices led to a decline in the electric vehicle industry by the mid-1910s. 

Was Prius the first electric car?

No, the Toyota Prius was not the first electric car; it was the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle, which combines a gasoline engine with an electric motor, not an all-electric car. The first true electric cars were developed much earlier, with early models appearing in the late 1800s, and the Prius itself was launched in 1997, long after the concept of electric vehicles was established.
 
Key distinctions

• Electric Car: A vehicle that runs solely on electricity, typically stored in a battery. 
• Hybrid Car: A vehicle that uses both a gasoline engine and an electric motor to power itself. 

Historical context

• Early Electric Cars: Opens in new tabThe Flocken Elektrowagen, built in 1888, is often cited as the first electric car, demonstrating the concept over a century before the Prius. 
• The Prius’s Innovation: Opens in new tabThe Prius’s significance lies in being the first mass-produced hybrid, which overcame engineering challenges and made hybrid technology practical and popular, according to IEEE Spectrum. 
• Other Hybrids: Opens in new tabOther hybrid vehicles, such as the Lohner-Porsche Elektromobil (also known as the P1), existed long before the Prius, though they did not achieve the same commercial success. 

What was Toyota’s first electric car?

Toyota’s first fully electric car was the RAV4 EV, which was first released to the general public in 2003. The RAV4 EV was based on the popular RAV4 crossover and used a nickel-metal hydride battery pack with inductive charging.
 
Key details about the RAV4 EV:

• Availability: A limited fleet version became available in 1997, followed by public sales in 2003, with approximately 1,900 units sold or leased in total. 
• Technology: It featured a single-speed gearbox, electric power for the brakes and steering, and a range of about 95 miles. 
• Significance: The RAV4 EV’s launch as an electric SUV was a prescient move, as the crossover style has become a flagship for many automakers in the EV market of the 2020s. 

Why was Prius discontinued?

Following years of dwindling demand, the car synonymous with hybrid technology has been pulled from sale. After 21 years and four generations, the Toyota Prius hybrid hatchback has been axed from Australian showrooms.