The L'Oeuf lectrique (Electric Egg) was an aluminum-bodied electric vehicle...

[demmiblue]

The L’Oeuf électrique (Electric Egg) was an aluminum-bodied electric vehicle designed and built by Paul Arzens - a noted train designer - in 1942. Only one was ever built. Photos Michel Zumbrunn / Urs Schmid.

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[Sherman A1]

1. Cool

Thanks for posting

[Beakybird]

2. Were they afraid that trucks would turn them into omelettes?

Revolutionary design!

[Archae]

3. I'm surprised this prototype was even built at all...

Considering France was under Nazi rule by then.

[eppur_se_muova]

4. Petroleum shortages helped the Nazis lose the war.

One of the worst disasters to befall Hitler's plans was the failure to capture the oilfields at Baku, which was a major goal of the war on the Eastern Front. That's why German industry tried to make liquid fuel from coal. It worked, but was ridiculously inefficient and expensive. There was no "secret Nazi formula" -- they were just desperate for fuel, so they used it anyway. After the allies bombed the refineries at Ploiești, Romania, the Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe were even more starved for fuel, with little to spare for civilians.

Hitler was also responsible for the creation of the VW Beetle, so it's not clear why he would have objected to something like this, other than it being created by a non-German. And the Third Republic was not absolutely controlled by Germany in all non-military matters anyway.