BAKER ELECTRIC

Baker Motor Vehicle Co. (1900-1915)

Baker, Rauch & Lang Co. (1915-1916)
Cleveland, Ohio

This is a Baker Electric nameplate/serial plate (c1903)  mjs
Size: 76mm wide 38mm high

Walter C. Baker established the Baker Motor Vehicle Company in Cleveland in 1900. The Baker Electric was first built in 1900 and was very successful. The Baker Electric became the highest selling electric car in America and was offered in a wide variety of body styles over the years. 

By 1915, the market for electric cars was in serious decline. Baker merged with Rauch & Lang to form the Baker, Rauch & Lang Company (see Rauch & Lang) and in December 1915 the new company made arrangements with R. M. Owen to build the Owen Magnetic car (see Owen Magnetic). Production of the Baker Electric continued until 1916.

Baker also began building electric trucks in 1908 and over time made a variety of electric truck models ranging from 1/2-ton to 5-tons capacity with double chain drive. After the merger with Rauch & Lang in 1915, commercial vehicle production ceased. However, the Baker name continued until 1930 as the Baker Industrial Truck Division, forklift truck builders, as part of the Otis Elevator Corporation.

Emblems

The Baker Electric did not carry an emblem but did display the "Baker" name on a small painted, cast metal Baker nameplate/serial plate attached to the body of the vehicle, see example shown above at the top of this post. This Baker nameplate is rare.

The Baker Electric nameplate/serial plate later became a painted metal plate, see example shown below:

This is a Baker Electric nameplate (1910)   electricmitten

The following is a rare Baker Electric patent plate:

This is a Baker Electric patent plate (1911)    mjs
Size: 76mm wide 38mm high

After the merger with Rauch & Lang, the "Baker R&L" name was displayed on the hubcaps, see hub emblem shown below:

This is a Baker R&L hub emblem (1915-1916)   mjs
Size: 63mm diameter   MM: None