With the amount of time needed to get a steamer started and ready to go, drivers moved quickly toward gas-powered cars when hand cranking was no longer needed.

Film historians have commented on the possibilities for viewers to slow down the hand cranking of the footage in was not technically possible in other art forms.

The Detroit Electric was mainly sold to women drivers and physicians who desired the dependable and immediate start without the physically demanding hand cranking of the engine that was required with early internal combustion engine autos.