Life — November 21, 1912 — page 29: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a **product advertisement**, not a political cartoon. It promotes the Ohio Electric Car Company's five-passenger electric automobile, highlighting its unique selling points: the ability to be driven from either front or rear seat, magnetic control, and chainless shaft drive. The image shows a well-dressed family (appearing to be middle or upper-class) in the vehicle, suggesting electric cars as modern, safe, family transportation. For a modern reader: This reflects the early 1900s when electric vehicles competed seriously with gasoline cars—they were considered cleaner, quieter, and more refined, particularly appealing to wealthy families and women drivers. The emphasis on being "patented and exclusive" speaks to competitive marketing in that era. Electric cars would largely disappear after cheaper gasoline vehicles dominated the market.