Life — September 12, 1912 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is **not satire or editorial content**—it's a straightforward advertisement for Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company's motors for electric vehicles. The ad promotes electric cars as ideal for suburban trips, featuring an illustration of a woman driver. It emphasizes practical benefits: good batteries, reliable performance on various roads and weather conditions, and low maintenance compared to other vehicles. Key context for modern readers: This advertisement dates from the early 1900s, when electric vehicles were a serious competitor to gasoline cars. They were considered particularly suited to women drivers due to their ease of operation (no hand-cranking required) and cleanliness. The ad also mentions commercial applications—electric delivery trucks—suggesting broad market confidence in this technology before gasoline engines ultimately dominated.