[Image Source: Jamie rector for the New York Times]

By Gunnar Heinrich

Someone has to crown Jay Leno as America's leading car enthusiast. Who else has everything and anything from the original Oldsmobile Toronado to a Duesenberg? Or how about a 1909 Baker Electric, for that matter?

"There was no gas or oil, no fire, no explosions - you just sort of got in and you went," Leno told the New York Times, "There were thousands of these in New York, from about 1905 to 1915. There were charging stations all over town, so ladies could recharge their cars while they were in the stores."

Twelve 6 volt batteries power the old "phonebooth" that "stands seven feet tall." Leno says that the car will drive at about 25 mph for four to five hours on a single charge.

The beauty in the car is its simplicity for apparently the old Baker takes little in terms of upkeep.

And it serves as an insight into how the world once made do without gasoline powered autos.

Read the article in full by clicking here.

[Source: NYT]