Riker

US, 1896 – 1902

(1) Riker Electric Motor Co, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1896 – 1899

(2) Riker Electric Vehicle Co, Elizabethport, N.J., 1899 – 1900

(3) Riker Motor Vehicle Co, Elizabethport, N.J., 1901 – 1902

One of A.L. Riker’s first electric vehicles, a two-seater phaeton Riker car, won a race at Providence, R.I., running against several petrol-engined cars. This sporting tradition by Riker cars was continued in 1900 when a special low-slung torpedo Riker racer established an number of records for electric cars, including the mile in 1 minute 46 seconds.

Production Riker cars included two-seater runabouts, four-seater dos-à-dos, an enclosed coach driven from a hansom cab position, and heavy trucks. In December 1900 Riker cars merged with the Electric Vehicle Co, makers of the Columbia, and only the trucks were continued under the Riker car name. After A.L. Riker sold his Riker car company to the Electric Vehicle Co, he offered them his designs for a petrol Riker car. They were not interested, so he formed the Riker Motor Vehicle Co. The first Riker car from this company was an 8hp 2-cylinder machine with chain drive, followed later in 1901 by a 16hp 4-cylinder Riker car. The design of this Riker car was the basis of the first Locomobile petrol-engined car. Riker was also concerned with the Overman Automobile Co, which made a few cars before the works were taken over by Stevens-Duryea.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; GNG

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