AMC Concept Electron

In 1977 American Motors updated its Amitron prototype and re-announced it as the Concept Electron, one of the company’s ‘Concept 80’ show cars. The changes were small: side-view mirrors were added to the windows and the car got a fresh paint job. The Electron was a show car only and could not be driven, because it had no powertrain.

The Amitron itself was an electric city car introduced in December 1967, developed with Gulton Industries, which supplied the batteries and power electronics. It was 85 inches (2,159 mm) long, weighed about 1,100 lb (499 kg), carried three passengers under a hinged canopy instead of conventional doors, and was the first U.S. car to use regenerative braking. AMC claimed a range of about 150 miles at 50 mph, but high battery costs and technology limits kept it a prototype.