PINKHAM NOTCH — The 151-year-old Mount Washington Auto Road has been the proving ground for all manner of transportation, from horse-drawn carriages, Stanley Steamers, high-end titanium bicycles, a camel, slick racing cars and the muscle power of human legs.

Now, the Auto Road can add another first to its list. On Sept. 8, Sylvain Juteau of Three Rivers, Quebec, drove his 2012 Ford Focus Electric up the 7.6-mile road, making his car the first electric car available to the general public to make it to the top of the Northeast's highest peak.

According to the EPA, the car's battery charger is rated at 6.6 kilowatts, making the recharging time for its 23-kWh battery almost half of its nearest competitor. The car also regenerates power during braking, something that came in handy after Juteau used half his charge going up the mountain. The car's EPA miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPGe) is 105.

“Gas in Canada is $6 a gallon,” Juteau told Auto Road staff, “not to mention all the maintenance costs of a gas engine. Other than tires, there's nothing to replace on my electric car, and you can easily get 100,000 miles from your batteries and brake pads.”

Juteau is just one of the visitors to the White Mountains expected this foliage season. While down in the valleys the autumn color is largely limited to the deep reds of swamp maples, in the higher elevations and the northern reaches trees are beginning to show their vivid colors.

The foliage in the mountains could start to change quickly in these last 10 days of September.

The first frost of the season was expected Wednesday night. In the next few weeks, Mount Washington will see visitors from all over the world.

“This electric vehicle's historic ascent is another link in a chain that dates back to the first automobile that climbed the road way back in 1899, which was a Stanley Steamer driven by Freelon O. Stanley himself. In truth, the evolution of transportation technology has been played out right here on Mount Washington,” said Howie Wemyss, general manager of the Auto Road and Great Glen Trails.

Does that mean the Auto Road's fleet of vans could soon go electric?

Steven Caming of the Auto Road said that Wemyss “is always keeping his eyes on evolving technologies with the thought of keeping ahead of the curve.”

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Sara Young-Knox may be reached at syoungknox@newstote.com.