Miguel Sánchez
The conquest of political power carries the possibility of transforming society. However, this cannot be done without first capturing the financial resources necessary for it. Without effective control over them, all ideological discourse, no matter how hegemonic and applauded, is doomed to encirclement and defeat. A fact that puts the crudeness of politics on the table, pointing out the primacy of material resources over rhetorical fables. In this sense, perhaps no historical event has been as sobering as World War II.
A warlike trance in which millions of people died and suffered in the most abject ways, and under which there is an essential theme that few have noticed. Something to some extent understandable. Since the flames and the fiery speeches overshadow what any historian has to coldly analyze to understand the future of this conflict: oil. Possibly the most necessary resource for the evolution of armies that waged a totally mechanized war. From the British planes that repelled the German attacks on the civilian population to the Nazi tanks that violated the borders of sovereign states, everything depended on fossil fuel to function.
This was known to the Americans - assured of cheap supplies from the Southern Cone - and the English - even with the Middle East under their control. But above all Hitler knew. Who he coveted the oil fields of the Caucasus. Giving priority to the conquest of this region over that of the capital of the Soviet Union itself. Reason why Operation Barbarossa was launched. A barbarism with millions of dead under the Nazi boot. Only stopped by the winter and the resistance of Stalingrad as the last door to the oil deposits of Asia.
PEUGEOT VLV. AN ELECTRICIAN BORN OF NEED
Thus, just as almost all the steel was used for the war effort, the oil had to flow from the rear to the fighting at the front. A harsh context. Where need sharpened the wits to respond to lack of fuel developing electric cars. With them, basic services such as health or mail were ensured. Just the situation in which the Peugeot VLV appeared. First peugeot electric, which here changed its everlasting lion for a lightning bolt that indicated the model's electric propulsion.
Manufactured from 1941 until its termination order by the Vichy Government in 1943 after 377 units manufactured, the VLV was the answer to the needs of professional mobility in an urban environment. An end that can be sensed from the very name of this electric Peugeot, whose acronyms result from "Vehícle Léger de Ville". Light city vehicle. The area in which he gave satisfaction to postmen and medical personnel thanks to his autonomy of 80 kilometers, maximum speed of 36 km / h and 3'3CV of power. All this possible thanks to 12 volt lead batteries installed in the front. Rechargeable in 10 hours from any outlet on the electrical network.
Data that can be mediocre today. But that without a doubt they are not if we get rid of the advantage that time gives and we observe them objectively. As the result of a makeshift electric on the go a whopping eighty years ago. In addition, this two-seater weighed only 365 kilos thanks to its aluminum construction and not steel. A refinement that does not come from any refinement of design, but because the steel was destined en masse for war production.
THE RETURN OF THE ELECTRICIANS
Recently the Peugeot VLV has been rescued from oblivion by the lion brand itself. A fact that, as in any large company, does not respond to a simple reason of chance. Not at all. Far from it, this era in which the transition to electricity is the dominant trend is lavish in bringing back models not only unknown to the general public, but even forgotten by motor experts. Thus It is intended to establish references.
Milestones of the past that, in one way or another, present as normal what is currently being revolutionary. Something that in a way has powerful reasons, since until well into the twentieth century, companies such as Detroit electric made electric models in batches of thousands with total normality.
Especially if they were intended for the field of urban mobility, where the problem of limited autonomy by inefficient lead batteries was not a determining obstacle. Nevertheless, the ease of movement given by a combustion engine was the crucial reason for the preponderance of oil. A way of doing things that now, not because of the Nazis but because of the awareness of the finite in certain resources, is again in question. In short, what is clear is that nothing spurs technological advance as much as need.
Photographs: Peugeot
