Who killed the electric car?

Plainsman1963 · 08-03-2006, 04:39 AM

Trailer:

Quote:

It was among the fastest, most efficient production cars ever built. It ran on electricity, produced no emissions and catapulted American technology to the forefront of the automotive industry. The lucky few who drove it never wanted to give it up. So why did General Motors crush its fleet of EV1 electric vehicles in the Arizona desert?

Looks like a good documentary. Amazing that GM would only lease the cars (not sell them) and took them all back and crushed them, over the objections of the people leasing them.

mars · 08-03-2006, 05:46 AM

Yeah I saw this a while ago, seems pretty fishy that GM would do that

http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony/w...iccar/trailer/

CrAzYpOtHeAd · 08-03-2006, 06:06 AM

meh, imo its to late to do anythin about the polution now. It pisses me the hell off the way the goverment have only JUST started to do something about it. But really, it is to late.

Plainsman1963 · 08-03-2006, 06:16 AM

Screw pollution! Well, not really, and i don't think it's too late...But never going to a gas station again!

The guy that did the documentary was on Jon Stewart tonight. He leased one of these things.

He said when they would go in to renew the lease, GM said "No, we're taking it back".

He had an idiot light for his brakes go on and so took it in to be serviced. Called to see how it was going and was told "we took it back".

He rented a helicopter (because he got a tip) and flew over the GM site in Arizona and saw them on flatbeds, waiting in line to be crushed.

Good God...Has the world gone insane? Never mind. Stupid question.

Insaneteacher · 08-03-2006, 06:39 AM

Fuck GM

(even though they basically pay for a roof over my head and food on my plate)

**Broliette** · 10-10-2008, 03:26 AM

I just got the movie the other day and watched it.
Aside from all the craziness of it, the part that sticks out the most for me was that they crushed them. THEY CRUSHED THEM!!!

Read into it what you will, but doesn't that just come off as the ultimate 'fuck you'?
"Not only are we going to take them back, but now we're gonna crush'em."

ADIDAS · 10-10-2008, 01:23 PM

Interesting, never heard of any of this.

**IGemini** · 10-10-2008, 02:44 PM

My understanding from what I've read is that it was too ambitious a project for the technology available at the time.

I wouldn't say they've completely killed the electric car...I'm actually quite interested in development of the Volt. 40-mile range on electric battery power plus a gas-powered generator for when that runs out...the range including that I've seen anywhere from 300-600 miles.

YouTube - Chevrolet Volt Concept

***29yeartoker*** · 10-10-2008, 02:56 PM

That's a nice looking car. I didn't see any airbags at the steering wheel though. Even though sometimes those things can cause more damage than good, but they can still be effective. I wonder how much that car will cost and how much it will cost for maintenance.

**Broliette** · 10-10-2008, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IGemini

My understanding from what I've read is that it was too ambitious a project for the technology available at the time.

Now, I'm having a hard time grasping your opinion here. How can you call the project too ambitious when there were electric cars 100 years ago? One of the main reasons internal combustion vehicles took off instead was that they provided more speed and distance. But as the documentary pointed out, the EV1's could provide what 90% of the population needed; a basic car for transportation.

As far as the Volt; for me that's just a transition vehicle. GM and other companies, IMO, found that switching directly to an electric car would not only upset profit turnover but dwindle the need on crude oil and gas. There are still millions of barrels of oil waiting to be extracted and for them; thats trillions of dollars worth of business still to be done.

I hate to quote wiki, but this sums it up best:

"the EV1 program was eliminated because it threatened the oil industry and because it required virtually no maintenance and therefore threatened GM's profitability by undermining the replacement parts aftermarket as well as the company's strategy of planned obsolescence."

08-03-2006, 06:06 AM	#3
CrAzYpOtHeAd Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 299 Grams: 4,062.28 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Stock Portfolio Total Value: 0.000 Gain/Loss: 0.000%	meh, imo its to late to do anythin about the polution now. It pisses me the hell off the way the goverment have only JUST started to do something about it. But really, it is to late. __________________ getting high all day, drinking whiskey all night..flipping off the police when them tricks pass by, Im that fool next door, always late with his rent Im that loser on the couch, watching springer and getting head dreaming about a better time, better place, better life..looking for that quick fix, and tweeking all night

08-03-2006, 06:39 AM	#5
Insaneteacher Friend of the Devil Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,504 Grams: 5,009.93 Thanks: 5 Thanked 12 Times in 7 Posts Stock Portfolio Total Value: 0.000 Gain/Loss: -1.000%	Fuck GM (even though they basically pay for a roof over my head and food on my plate) __________________ I watched with glee While your kings and queens Fought for ten decades For the gods they made I shouted out, Who killed the kennedys? When after all It was you and me

10-10-2008, 03:26 AM	#6
Broliette ~~~_\\|/_~~~ Tournaments Won: 4 Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 3,707 Grams: 100,989.43 Thanks: 4,175 Thanked 2,282 Times in 1,075 Posts Stock Portfolio Total Value: 0.000 Gain/Loss: -1.000%	I just got the movie the other day and watched it. Aside from all the craziness of it, the part that sticks out the most for me was that they crushed them. THEY CRUSHED THEM!!! Read into it what you will, but doesn't that just come off as the ultimate 'fuck you'? "Not only are we going to take them back, but now we're gonna crush'em." __________________ Posting Guidelines The Art of Searching Grams Don't Click Here...

10-10-2008, 01:23 PM	#7
ADIDAS Represent. KY Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 3,824 Grams: 13,987.15 Thanks: 584 Thanked 375 Times in 246 Posts Stock Portfolio Total Value: 0.000 Gain/Loss: 0.000%	Interesting, never heard of any of this. __________________ All Day I Dream About Smoking

10-10-2008, 02:56 PM	#9
*29yeartoker* Cannabis Fairy Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,633 Thanks: 3,596 Thanked 2,357 Times in 1,043 Posts Stock Portfolio Total Value: 0.000 Gain/Loss: 0.000%	That's a nice looking car. I didn't see any airbags at the steering wheel though. Even though sometimes those things can cause more damage than good, but they can still be effective. I wonder how much that car will cost and how much it will cost for maintenance. __________________ Where there is Joy, Laughter and Color Fairies will be found! Check out our sister site: The Garden's Cure and our informative Posting Guidlines or If you like to just shoot the breeze join us in the Chat. Wondering about the grams?

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