Monday, June 26, 2006

Who Killed the Electric Car?


Now more than ever the need for alternative sources of automobile power is pressing our consciousness. With the price of oil at all time highs and little chance of it dropping anytime soon, those of us who spend much of our time debating at the water cooler are seeking less the conventional answers.
And so as my synapse exchange impulses I wonder; what ever happened to the EV1?

Well, in his new documentary film, "Who Killed the Electic Car", Chris Paine examines the birth, life and untimely death of the modern electric car.
“The film”, says Paine “is about the only kind of cars that we can drive run on oil. And for a while there was a terrific alternative, the electric car”. Paine explores the 1996 GM launch of the EV1. A car like no other, the EV1 was the first electric car which would have given the old tech combustible engine a run for its money. It was fast, powerful, roomy, stylish, and best of all it ran completely on electricity.

In addition to it’s technological advancements, the EV1, according to its drivers, was more of a cohort than a car; it more like a well loved companion. Many relished its efficiency, stylish good looks and ease of use. Yet GM, as represented in the film, intentionally sabotaged its marketing, forced the lease holders to acquiesce their stewardship of the car, then promptly destroyed all of them. Consequently many EV1 lovers held mock funerals for thier former electric cars.
The film itself plays more like a crime drama as it explores the subtle conspiracy as to why the big automakers wanted nothing to do with the emerging electric car market. A market that by 2006 would have been a cash cow for the industry.

For more on the documentary film, “Who Killed the Electric Car” and the conspiracy behind it, visit the PBS news program, Now (Click Here for Show)

To learn more about purchasing alternative automobiles click HERE.

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

When you wrote that GM destroyed them, you did mean the car right? Not the people, I hope?

Just kidding.

12:12 PM  
Blogger MC Fanon said...

Great post, Van. I was actually asking someone the other day what happened to these. It's such a shame that the rich are so heavily dependent on the oil industry in the U.S. right now. Bush can talk the talk but he's just not walking as far as getting us off our addiction to oil.

Meanwhile us at the bottom pay top-dollar for a tank of gas. Something needs to be done and although hybrid cars are nice, they're no where near the end-all solution.

Like you said, there's some potential still for automobiles in the electrical field. From what I've read hydrogen power seems like it could work quite nicely if it was ever given enough funding.

12:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

These movies are bringing me down, man. Al Gore, this, the one about no God...I mean, I'm all for being informed but come on. I think I need to hit a Vince Vaughn film just so I won't jump off a cliff.

4:52 AM  

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