The exponential success of battery electric buses calls for a re-appraisal of their history. When, in the 19th century, the horse-drawn omnibus was first replaced by motive power, battery-powered buses and streetcars were presented as an alternative to the tramcar. However, operators soon realized the limited autonomy of the heavy batteries and opted for gasoline engines. Even with the OPEC crisis in the 1970s, various experiments with battery buses did not fully meet expectations. However, with the arrival of the lithium-ion battery in 2007, manufacturers in China and elsewhere began to deliver literally thousands of battery buses to transit authorities around the world. This comprehensive history traces the roots of the electric bus from 1564 to its resounding success in 2019.