First Cross Country Trip in an Electric Car

The first ever cross country trip in an electric car was made by Arizona Public Service (APS) in a MARS II Electric Car built by Electric Fuel Propulsion Inc. (EFP) of Detroit, Michigan. The trip started in Detroit on September 20, 1967 and ended in Phoenix on October 5, 1967 with 37 stops along the way for fast charging of the car's Lead Cobalt Batteries. APS purchased the MARS II and a 50 kW Fast Charger built by EFP for this historic 2,226-mile trip, the longest trip ever made by an electric car.

As a result of this trip, the Electric Vehicle Council selected Phoenix as the site for the first International Electric Vehicle Symposium which was held on November 7 to 9, 1969. Since then, Phoenix has become a major center for electric vehicle activities in the U.S.A., with APS organizing the events.