The world's first electric car model in the US parliament house

More than 100 years ago, the world's first two zero-emissions electric cars were produced by orders of the US Congress.

In 1909, the US Congress ordered Studebaker to produce two special cars for $ 3,000, requiring the vehicle not to discharge exhaust to run in the tunnel connecting the Capitol to the new Russel Senate building, according to Business. Insider.

One of the two cars ran in the tunnel connecting the American parliament with the Senate of Russel.(Photo: Business Insider).

Two cars named Tommy and Peggy were designed to drive in both directions because the tunnel was too narrow to turn around. The driver will drive through a tunnel more than 300m long, the speed is from 19 to 24km / h, waiting for the passengers to come down and change the driver's seat to return. Vehicles carry 12 passengers per trip.

Tommy and Peggy operated in less than a decade. They were stored and auctioned in 1939 for $ 35. Peggy is located at Studebaker Museum in South Bend, Indiana.

Tommy after being exhibited at the 1939 World Fair in New York was bought by collector William Swigart in 1950. Swigart repaired Tommy in the mid-1950s but it still didn't work. Over 60 years later, it is still in Swigart's car museum in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, until his widow and Marge Cutright museum executive decide to let him run on the road again.

Repair is done by Pennsylvania College of Technology. The students here replaced 10 batteries and maintained the car so it was ready to operate. On June 18, Tommy re-rolled and won the National Automobile Heritage Award presented by the Historical Vehicle Association.