What happened to those EV-1 electric cars?

Question

General Motors built them in the 90's and people were driving them around ,does anyone still own one?

Answer 1

GM leased them not sold them.  So when the lease expired they just took them back and got rid of them.

There are several companies currently out there building newer ones and we should see them by later this year and next.  So you will be able to go electric soon.

Answer 2

You really do need to see "Who Killed the Electric Car" for an answer to this one because it is complex.  Ultimately, most of them have been crushed because, it was argued in the film, the technology was too scary for the auto industry, who makes piles of money off of all those combustion engine-related tune ups and oil changes, it also threatened the oil industry because you could simply recharge the batteries at home overnight (gee...no gas stations). GM ultimately sold the patent to the second-generation electric car battery (NiMH) technology to a subsidiary of Chevron-Texaco (surprise, surprise).  At the same time, the Bush-Cheney administration, who both came from the oil and gas industries, assembled an administration that was overtly hostile toward environmentally sound principles and practices.  They have allowed (via the executive branch oversight and appointments to the EPA) the EPA to drag their feet and not regulate auto emissions and they have openly thwarted efforts to raise the CAFE standards which govern the average fuel economy of the American fleet of cars.  It's truly an alarming film that will activate you to demand plug-in electric vehicles.

Answer 3

There must be a disconnect somewhere. If the car companies own all the good patents then why aren't they making the electric cars that are the answer to all our problems?

Perhaps there are issues with the consumer. Americans got spoiled with the concept of get-in-and-go. Stop off at the gas pump when the little light comes on. The whole practice of having to plug in each night, checking batteries, finding out that running the air conditioner or heater means you're not going as far... ditto for lights on night trips.

There were issues with battery replacement and life. ... and the nasty waste problem of used batteries.

There were safety concerns as well. Performance problems after a few months. Lack of room and stowage. Fear for safety when the majority of the vehicles on the road were larger and more powerful with more effective bumpers. The fact that a second vehicle was still needed for longer trips or families with large children....

Still a few bugs to work out ... I think they will be worked out in time but until the gas is truly gone I don't think we'll be seeing the electric cars in great numbers.

Answer 4

In the 70s they said we would all be driving electric cars in the 21st century as oil was running out(and combustion engines are dirty and obsolete technology) just park your ultra light in the garage and plug in(now with the oil prices skyrocketing dosent that make more sense?)

Answer 5

for the full story see http://www.ev1.org/

basically despite drivers protests GM crushed them all, every one, for pictures & discussion (for & against) see http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/07/...

no selling of parts for people to make their own conversions, nothing.

Answer 6

No, they were mostly crushed by GM.  A few of them are in museums and such, but nobody drives them anymore.  The film "Who Killed the Electric Car" is all about answering your question.

However, there are some similar EVs on the horizon.

Available in California in October 2008, the Aptera typ-1e will cost about $27,000 with a top speed of 95 mph and range of 120 miles per charge.

http://www.aptera.com/details.php

Soon thereafter Aptera will introduce the typ-1h, a plug-in hybrid version of the typ-1e with a 40-60 mile range on purely electrical energy, and a range of over 600 miles total when in electric/gas hybrid mode, for around $30,000.  On a 120 mile trip, the typ-1h will get 300 miles per gallon.  The shorter the trip, the higher the efficiency.

http://www.aptera.com/details.php

Available in 2009, the ZAP Alias will cost $30,000, have a top speed of 100 mph, and a range of 100 miles per charge.

http://zapworld.com/electric-vehicles/el...

Soon thereafter the ZAP-X will be available at a cost of $60,000 with a top speed of 155 mph and a range of 350 miles per charge.

http://zapworld.com/electric-vehicles/el...

Available in 2009, the Miles Javlon will cost $30,000 with a top speed of 80 mph and a range of 120 miles per charge.

http://www.milesev.com/

Phoenix Motorcars will start selling their SUT to individuals in 2009.  It will cost $45,000 and have a top speed of 100 mph with a range of 100+ miles per charge.

http://phoenixmotorcars.com/