Life — April 21, 1910 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is **not a cartoon or satire page**, but rather a **straightforward advertisement** for Detroit Electric automobiles, placed in *Life* magazine. The page showcases four electric car models (Roadster, Victoria, Coupe, and Brougham) with prices ranging from $1,700 to $2,500. The ad emphasizes reliability, citing an official Munsey Tour test where a Detroit Electric traveled 671 miles with a "perfect score." The marketing pitch targets affluent readers concerned about range anxiety—a then-contemporary concern about early automobiles. The ad promises a full day's travel "with current to spare" and highlights the Edison Battery's 225 ampere-hour capacity. This represents early 20th-century electric vehicle promotion before gasoline engines dominated the market.