In this work we consider two-dimensional capillary-gravity waves propagating under the influence of a vertical electric field on a dielectric of finite depth bounded above by a perfectly conducting and hydrodynamically passive fluid. Both linear and weakly nonlinear theories are developed, and long-wave model equations are derived based on the analyticity of the Dirichlet-Neumann operator. Fully nonlinear computations are carried out by using a time-dependent conformal mapping method. Solitary waves are found, and their stability characteristics subject to longitudinal perturbations are studied numerically. The shedding of stable solitary waves is achieved by moving a Gaussian pressure on the free surface with the speed close to a phase speed minimum and removing the pressure after a period of time. The novel result shows that a depression bright solitary wave and an elevation generalized solitary wave co-exist in the solitary-wave excitation. (C) 2019 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.