Baker Electric Model V Victoria
This quiet electric carriage served five First Ladies—and proves that an old date should never be copied onto the wrong surviving car.
1912 Baker Electric Victoria period illustration · Alden Jewell · CC BY 2.0
Research pending
A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.
Joyride shows this gap instead of substituting an asking price, unsold bid or mismatched special vehicle.
More than a set of wheels.
President William Howard Taft bought the White House its first fleet in 1909, including a Baker Electric. In 1912 that earlier car was replaced by this Model V Victoria. The Henry Ford preserves its identity plate, dimensions and service story: chassis 7816 stayed in White House use until 1928 and carried five First Ladies.
Look a little closer.
Helen Taft, Ellen Wilson, Edith Wilson, Florence Harding and Grace Coolidge all used this same electric car.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
Why this entry says 1912, not 1909
The queue joined the White House fleet's 1909 starting date to a Model V identity. The 1909 Baker catalog listed by the New York Public Library does not list a Model V, while The Henry Ford dates the preserved Model V Victoria to 1912 and says it replaced Taft's 1909 Baker. This profile follows the artifact plate and museum record.
Source: The Henry Ford · 1912 Baker Electric Victoria ↗An electric car chosen for easy city travel
Early electrics started without a dangerous hand crank and did not demand a difficult multi-speed petrol-car gearbox. The Henry Ford's electric-car history explains why those qualities appealed especially to well-to-do women before World War I; this White House Baker is a documented example of that wider story.
Source: The Henry Ford · Electric Cars for Well-to-do Women ↗A city car, with its limits left visible
The Henry Ford’s transportation curator describes this 1912 Victoria as capable of about 30 mph, with a range near 50 miles. Those are historical estimates, not a modern road or battery test. They help explain its role: short trips around Washington rather than long-distance touring. The same account values the replacement car at $2,000 but records only $809.50 paid; it leaves open whether that difference came from the old car’s trade-in, a publicity discount, or both. Its exact motor rating, battery specification and current operating condition remain unverified here.
Source: The Henry Ford · curator account of the White House Baker, July 20, 2016 ↗Where these facts come from
- The Henry Ford · 1912 Baker Electric Victoria
- The Henry Ford · Electric Cars for Well-to-do Women
- New York Public Library · 1909 Baker catalog index
- The Henry Ford · curator account of the White House Baker, July 20, 2016
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed October 1, 2026.