The existence of the Waverley Electric of Indianapolis, Indiana dates to 1898 following a merger of the Indiana Bicycle Company of Indianapolis and the Electric Vehicle Company of Chicago. The name was derived from the Waverley bicycle produced by the Indiana Bicycle Company from 1893 to 1899. The Indiana Bicycle Company became the American Bicycle Company in 1900, and briefly the International Motor Car Company in 1903 before joining the Pope group. The Pope-Waverley was one of the many companies of Albert Augustus Pope of Boston, Massachusetts (later incorporated in Hartford, Connecticut). Among the automobiles falling under the Pope banner include the Pope-Hartford, the Pope-Toledo, Pope-Waverley, Pope-Robinson, and the Pope-Tribune. The Pope-Waverley name persisted from 1904 through 1907, the year Pope declared bankruptcy. The Pope-Waverley Company and its Indianapolis factory were acquired in September of 1908 by a group of local businessmen, many of whom were former executives within the company. The company was reorganized, dropping the 'Pope' portion of the name, and quickly re-entered automobile production.

Electric vehicles were popular during the early years of automobile production due to the ease of operation. They were quiet and odorless but had several drawbacks of their own. As many of the shortcomings of the internal combustion engine were resolved, the popularity of electric vehicles began to quickly fade. This was true for Waverley Electric which remained in business through 1916.

The 1910 Waverley Electric was priced from $1,225 to $2,250, and wheelbases included a 73.5-inch, 79-inch, and a 91-inch platform. Body styles included a roadster, runabout, brougham, Victoria Phaeton, and Stanhope.

by Dan Vaughan