The Red Bug was a 100% electric vehicle manufactured in the 1920s that sold for just US$125. If we take inflation into account, it would cost US$2,292 in 2024 dollars today. It was cheaper than the cheapest Ford Model T (which cost US$290 in 1924), at a time when the average American earned about €2,196 per year.
In these times when manufacturers are looking for ways to make cheap electric cars, it may be interesting to review the history of the Red Bug. Produced by the Automotive Electric Service Corporation of North Bergen, New Jersey, it started life as the Smith Flyer in 1915, produced by the A.O. Smith Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin until 1919, when the design and rights were acquired by the engine manufacturer Briggs & Stratton and became the Briggs & Stratton Flyer. Decades later it would be recognized as the cheapest production car never manufactured.
Why was it so cheap? It cost just $125 because of its wooden frame (the backbone of the vehicle) and minimalist construction. Its suspension was two solid axles, which allowed for some flexibility in absorbing shocks (no springs and fairly small bicycle tires).
The Smith Flyer’s drivetrain was a bit unusual. At the rear was a “power wheel” – a small bicycle-type wheel with a single-cylinder engine attached to the side and a fuel tank on top. The power wheel was originally intended to be mounted on the back of a bicycle, but the AO Smith company realised that it could power a lightweight two-seater.
The A.O. Smith Company managed to sell a reasonable number of Smith Flyers, enough for Briggs & Stratton to purchase the rights and tooling to produce them themselves in 1919. The Smith Flyer’s very low price made it a popular choice among young people who could not afford a Ford Model T or similar.
From combustion to electric
In the mid-1920s, as the Ford Model T became more affordable, demand for the Flyer declined. Briggs & Stratton sold the rights to the Automotive Electric Service Corporation of North Bergen, New Jersey. They developed two versions of the Flyer:
- Red Bug: the original gasoline version was so named because the metal was painted red and was said to be the size of an insect.
- Red Bug Car: new version developed by Automotive Electric Service Corporation, it was a fully electric vehicle.
The Red Bug had a battery box behind the driver and passenger seats, holding two lead-acid batteries. They used a Northeast Company electric motor to power one of the rear wheels (the same electric motor that many Dodge Brothers vehicles of the era used as a starter motor). It was simple, but very reliable: with no transmission or clutch, you stepped on the accelerator to move and stepped on the brake to stop.
It could be recharged at any standard electrical outlet overnight or in a few hours depending on the state of discharge, and it did not smoke or leak oil like most cars of the time.
The Red Bug was marketed primarily to women (advertising was aimed at them and emphasized ease of use—no clutch, fumes, or engine oil). It sold well enough to remain in production until 1930. There was talk of Indian Motorcycle buying the design… but they were bought out themselves and it never came to fruition.
The Red Bug became a popular vehicle at resorts. They were small and easy to drive, so guests could use them to get around without the worry of driving a full-sized car on smaller, often crowded roads and tracks.
We are reminded of the Red Bug car because a unit was recently sold. It belonged to a famous comedian in the United States and its restoration had been awarded. However, they were asking $17,501 for it and the highest bid was just $500.
Via: eBay
