More than cars: the story and uses of electric mobility

Hard work, silent engines: professional electric vehicles

In warehouses around the world, the true electric hero is the forklift. Battery-powered versions first appeared in the 1920s, designed to operate safely indoors. Over time, they have eased the workload of countless workers, transformed logistics, and revolutionised the way we move goods — making supply chains faster and more efficient.

The world of electric industrial vehicles doesn’t end there: it includes mobile platforms, compact transporters for personnel, indoor vans, and towing vehicles — all designed to simplify daily operations and optimise space.

Even agriculture has embraced electrification. Battery-powered tractors were already being tested in the 1960s, and today, thanks to advanced technology, they’re making a strong comeback.

Public transport: trams, trolleybuses and electric buses

If one symbol defines urban electric mobility, it’s the tram. Italy’s first electric tram ran in Rome in 1890, along Via Flaminia with the approval of King Umberto. That same year, Florence inaugurated the Florence–Fiesole line, one of the first in Europe.

Then came the trolleybus, its iconic overhead wires stitching the urban sky — a discreet yet powerful symbol of an era that now lives mostly in memory. Electric buses, on the other hand, are a more recent innovation. The first prototypes date back to the 1970s, but only with modern batteries did they truly begin to spread, particularly across Asia and Northern Europe.

Over water: boats and other unusual vehicles

Electricity has long found its way onto water. As early as 1903, Copenhagen launched one of the world’s first electric ferries.

Today, many tourist boats on Italy’s lakes and Northern Europe’s canals glide silently thanks to electric propulsion. And let’s not forget submarines — as early as the 19th century, they relied on batteries to move underwater. Even modern research submersibles and deep-sea bathyscaphes continue to use electric propulsion systems.

More recently, electric energy has powered even more spectacular creations — like the Plenitude electric watercraft, seen this summer in Polignano a Mare, Puglia. Designed for aquatic shows, it demonstrates how electric mobility can make waves even in the world of water sports.

The new frontier of tourism: from Segways to electric tuk-tuks

Some vehicles were created more out of curiosity than necessity. The best known is the Segway, the self-balancing, two-wheeled vehicle unveiled in 2001 and heralded as a revolution in personal transport. It didn’t quite transform urban mobility, but it became an icon of guided city tours in places like Rome, Paris, and San Francisco.

In recent years, Segways have been joined by hoverboards and electric unicycles — futuristic gadgets that have also carved out a niche for short urban trips.

Elsewhere, electric tuk-tuks in Bangkok and tricycle taxis in Lisbon and Barcelona blend innovation with local flair. The same goes for electric tourist trains, often seen winding through historic towns — especially at Christmas, when they chug between the stalls of festive markets.

Electric has no limits

The family of electric vehicles is even broader than it seems — from golf carts to urban minibuses, from great successes to half-forgotten experiments. Electric mobility is not a new trend, but a tradition more than a century old, constantly reinventing itself through innovation.

We live surrounded by silent, versatile wheels — filling our cities and shaping our daily lives. So next time you plug in your electric car, take a moment to think: electric mobility is everywhere, and it’s only just getting started.