Who Killed the Electric Car?

[Derwin]

I just found this mini-article on the chevy website. What do YOU think?


Aren't You the Guys Who Killed the Electric Car?



We are the guys that developed and launched EV1, the first modern-day electric vehicle, back in 1996. We are also the guys that devoted tremendous resources to design, engineer, and market this vehicle. Although the technical innovation and marketing efforts behind the EV1 were unparalleled, only 800 people were willing to lease the EV1. Yes, the EV1 quickly became the worldwide benchmark for electric vehicles, but its timing wasn't quite right. When GM launched the EV1, gas was cheap, there wasn't a war in Iraq, and there was less discussion about global warming. There were far fewer reasons for people to make the trade-offs in their transportation lifestyle to make the EV1 work for them.
http://www.chevrolet.com/i/08/fuelsolutions/quote_box_top.jpg
"We didn't kill the electric car; electric vehicle technology is far from dead."



The good news is that both the technology and the GM team who developed the EV1 live on. Chevy's next generation of low- and zero-emission vehicles - Tahoe and Malibu Hybrids,(1) Equinox Fuel Cell electric vehicles,(2) and our range-extended electric E-Flex system (found on the concept Volt) - all feature technologies and innovations from the EV1. We didn't kill the electric car; electric vehicle technology is far from dead.

- Jill Banaszynski
Manager of Electric Vehicle Programs
General Motors Corp.

[Satt]

Good to know.:Beer:

[CelticFlyer]

GM invented the EV-1 and then put it to sleep (actually collected the vehicles they leased to 800 lucky people and literally CRUSHED them). And the "good news" is that the same folks that brought the EV-1 to market is at it again? Forgive my pessimistic nature, but I fear history may repeat itself, current social and economic forces notwithstanding.

I just don't trust them. =n:

[Miracleman89]

I don't care what they say they killed the electric car! This is all a load of crap! The only reason they are saying this now is because they got so much bad press over the "who killed the electric car movie"! GM doesn't care about the consumer they only care about their pockets and just about every one on the board of directors has stock in some oil company! They killed the electric car because they finally got California to drop the law they made that forced them to create electric cars! As for marketing...... LMAO I don't believe there is a single individual that lived in California who has ever seen a commercial for the EV1. Hell I didn't even know they made one until I the WKTEC movie came out! I mean I am a huge car guy and I would spend a lot of time on the net looking up new vehicles and stuff and never came across a single article for the EV1! I want to know who in the heck do they think is buying their Bull crap! I hate GM they are so full of crap!!!

[RAN]

You shouldn't trust them. First of all, they didn't advertise them at all... not in a way that you would even connect to there being an electric car you could drive. So their claim of "unparalleled marketing effort", while technically true, is a Big Lie in context. Secondly, they didn't offer them for sale, only for lease. Thirdly, they made them so hard to get a lease on that only 800 people qualified for them. And fourth, many of those who leased them begged GM to let them buy them, but GM wouldn't have it.

About all that GM's BS is good for is fertilizer. Wait and see how long they delay getting the Volt into production.

[CelticFlyer]

Even from a capitalistic standpoint, it's curious why GM chose to scrap their crop of EV-1s. Were they worried that they wouldn't be able to provide support for them? Would they be able to honor repairs under warranty?

Now, what we need for these guys to do is get stock in battery companies! THEN and only then will you see them offer EVs!

[RAN]

From a capitalistic standpoint it makes perfect sense. The millions they spent in R&D because CARB forced them to was at least a partial write-off for them. Chicken feed to the billions they'd lose actually producing cars with almost no moving parts and no need for gas-oil-air filters, starters, piston rings, valves, fuel-water pumps, a zillion custom-made hoses, spark plugs, transmissions, tune-ups, valve adjustments, timing belts, thermostats, radiators, belts, crankshafts, camshafts, fuel injectors, cylinder heads, etc etc etc etc.

In short, they scrapped the EV-1s because, relatively speaking, they didn't need many repairs.

[curbowman]

I do agree, a big part of any auto manufacturer income comes from servicing. An electric car have so few mobile parts that usual maintenance is futile. Mostly brake and tire repairs, and no one goes to the "Authorized Big Brand Car Maker Service" to fix that: your trusted brake shop is much better at that.

By the way, I'm from Venezuela (where gasoline is priced at about 0.5 USD/Gal) so my english is not perfect... what does LMAO mean?

[RAN]

Welcome curbowman!

LMAO is an acronym for Laughing My Ass Off. If you run across any more you don't know, you can check them here: http://www.acronymfinder.com/