Who Killed the Electric Car
In an era of mass recalls, the notion of fighting for your ride seems absurd. But that’s exactly what happened with the General Motors’ EV-1 electric car. Its story is told in the remarkable "Who Killed the Electric Car," screened last month at the Ojai Playhouse. The story of the EV-1 is an extraordinary tale of how the confluence of hyper greed and sheer stupidity resulted in the calculated destruction of a visionary car program which could well have paved the way to an end to America’s addiction to Middle Eastern oil and the associated costs in human life and tax dollars.
The EV-1 was an American technical triumph, years ahead of foreign competition. Made in response to California’s zero emission mandate, the EV-1 turned the electric car stereotype on its head, with jack rabbit acceleration (0-60 in 8.5 seconds), a top end of 80 miles per hour, and a range of over 140 miles between charges.
Drivers fell in love with GM’s amazing car, pleading with the auto giant to be allowed to keep their cars at the end of their leases. GM, citing an absence of demand in the face of overwhelming customer satisfaction, ended the program.
Big auto and big oil, with the generous assistance of the Bush administration, sued the state of California to gut its zero emission mandate. In the end, the troika succeeded in killing it, and with it the mandate for the electric car. The electric cars were captured and crushed, the oil industry reaped profits of $140 billion in 2005, and the Bush administration affirmed its spoon posture with petroleum companies while publicly admonishing America’s addiction to oil.
These days, we are so accustomed to stories of big company gluttony that many of us are numb to their messages of misery and injustice. But there is something about this story and the way it is told that managed to awaken some jaded nerves in the audience. To be sure, there is plenty of fuel for outrage in this film, but I think there is something especially sad about the sight of these intrepid cars being crushed that is a lightening rod to our righteousness. The dying cars manifest much of what is right about America – its vision, innovation, and creativity. Their deaths represent America at its very worst – ignorance, short-sidedness, and blinding greed. In the end, Gigantor wins, everyone else loses. The irony is that, ultimately, Gigantor loses too, as the infinitesimally few that profit are merely fiddling while their planet burns.
Believe-it-or-not, there is a glimmer of hope. While Americans cannot rely on big auto, big oil, or government to kick America’s oil addiction and its associated toll on the environment, human life, and our economy, we still have enormous power to direct change by voting with our wallets. Electric cars and plug-in hybrids are available today, and more are expected to enter the market in the coming years. Some of these are not the golf carts we have come to expect. The exotic Tesla Roadster, backed by Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, uses a Lotus design, is very fast (0-60 in under 4 seconds!) and can run for 250 miles between charges. Despite GM’s assertion that there is no demand for electric cars, the $100,000 2007 Tesla Roadster is completely sold out.
If you have not already seen “Who Killed the Electric Car,” I encourage you to check out the DVD. The website is pretty nifty too: http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledtheelectriccar. For more information, on electric cars and plug-in hybrids, check out http://www.pluginamerica.com.
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Comments (11)
This topic elicited a lot of dialogue last month here: http://www.ojaipost.com/2006/11/who_killed_the_electric_car.shtml
Comment #1 Posted by: Anonymous | December 6, 2006 05:29 PM
Hey readers, please welcome Todd Miller to the Ojai Post cadre of authors.
Comment #2 Posted by: Tyler | December 6, 2006 06:32 PM
First off, welcome! Second, love the article.
I was just at the LA Car show and I saw BMW's new Hydrogen powered cars and SUVs... I actually asked if they could turn it on so I could drink the water from the tailpipe (they said no), but I think the cars that are STILL stealing the show down their are all the gas-powered vehicles. Granted, SmartCars can hit 140mph, but their is just something about loading up your car with gas before the road-trip that appeals to me most. I'm not sure the feeling of getting all happy and pumped for a trip can be accomplished by plugging your car in for the night before a trip.
I do agree, however, as I've stated before, that alternative sources of fuel will soon be our only option - and I'm glad some companies are taking this seriously.
Comment #3 Posted by: Ryan Gonzales | December 6, 2006 07:24 PM
Ryan brings up a very interesting point that alludes to the deep-seated social aspect of changing our transportation habits: America is profoundly in love with the automobile and all its paraphenalia, quirks, and traditions...which even includes the pre-trip "gas-up". this obsessive enamoration is crippling our ability to accept anything new/different.
in the same vein, the film touched on consumer desire to have an electric product that performs AT LEAST as well as their familiar gas-powered product. while great advances have and are being made in that regard, the simple fact is that no electric car is going to erupt from a stop light, engine growling and tires squealing (at least not yet). what we as the consuming public need to do (in my frustrated yet humble opinion) is loosen our grasp on our perceived need for that kind of excessive performance. it seems to me that until we're willing to accept a more moderately-paced lifestyle (on many levels), our progress will continue to be seriously hampered.
finally, i do own a copy of Who Killed The Electric Car, and would be happy to lend it out for personal viewings, and especially for hosted screenings! i have a few minor misgivings about it, but one thing that it's great for is generating discussion, which i believe is at the heart of any worthwhile change.
Comment #4 Posted by: evan | December 7, 2006 03:44 PM
I agree with you Evan that it would be ideal if the public let go the perceived need for excessive performance. Having said this, the likelihood that technology will meet perceived American needs has historically been greater than the odds that Americans will change their perceptions.
Speaking of technology, the more I read about the Tesla, the more excited I get about this car and the potential it has to make internal combustion engines look as antiquated as they really are.
Slate’s Paul Boutin recently wrote a review on the Tesla Roadster, "It’s Electric!" Here are a couple of excerpts:
“A week ago, I went for a spin in the fastest, most fun car I've ever ridden in—and that includes the Aston Martin I tried to buy once. I was so excited, in fact, that I decided to take a few days to calm down before writing about it. Well, my waiting period is over, I'm thinking rationally, and I'm still unbelievably stoked about the Tesla.
…the Tesla Roadster is a rolling demo that proves electric cars now outperform their gas-guzzling counterparts in comfort, convenience, and, best of all, speed.”
Boutin goes on to describe the Tesla’s torque curve as being impossibly fast – impossible, at least, compared to internal combustion engines. In my own research, I found that the $100,000 electric Tesla Roadster does 0-60 in 3.9 seconds. To offer some perspective, the world’s fastest production Lamborghini, the $350,000 Murciélago LP640, does 0-60 in 3.3 seconds.
I grant you that 0-60 in under 4 seconds qualifies as excessive performance. It’s also true that not everyone can afford a $100K car. But I think the makers of the Tesla realize that the American market needs this high end car in order to paint internal combustion technology as passé. Once it’s out of fashion, Americans will start dumping it in droves. That demand will drive supply and competition, which will drive down the price point for less excessive performers.
Comment #5 Posted by: Todd Miller | December 7, 2006 05:11 PM
thank you for that info on the Tesla, Todd! i very sincerely hope you're accurate in your vision of the evolution toward electric vehicles, since you seem to have a much better grasp of the practicalities of economics and such.
THAT said, i'm pre-frustrated with what i see as a painfully slow process of starting with high-end cars to change the image of electric, which then trickles down to the working class. in the meantime, i see a class distinction wherein the rich are driving futuristic-looking electric vehicles while the rest of us continue to drive our smog-machines while we wait for the prices to come down.
i'll just mention again that i own the movie, and would be happy to loan it out. contact me at superher0(at)sbcglobal(dot)net (the last character in "superhero" is a zero, not a letter o) or 746-3750.
Comment #6 Posted by: evan | December 8, 2006 03:09 PM
I feel this blog is worth keeping Alive. I too own a copy of the movie and ever since seeing it have longed for my own copy of an electric car. Complete with solar panels on the roof for charging. I have settled for a Honda Insite and still after cutting my fuel costs by 75% would like to go all the way to zero. Zero emissions and zero consumption of foreign oil. Imagine what would happen the the price if we all stopped buying it. Not to mention the terrorists would no longer have the finances to continue fighting wars. Clean air/no wars seems like paradise to me.... TED
Comment #7 Posted by: Edward Ellyatt | January 5, 2007 11:21 AM
I agree that this discussion should continue. Electric cars are available...India makes a very affordable
one (Reva) and will be improving it as the company grows. I'm sure other companies will follow. The Tesla is great but super expensive.
There are other options as well. There are millions of cars on the road right now that have high compression engines that could be running on ethanol and methanol. Those fuels are almost completely clean. They are also by products of oil refining ie "waste" that is pumped back into the ground. This is a situation that must be and can be changed!
Comment #8 Posted by: Sue Williamson | January 10, 2007 08:30 AM
The recent push to make more ethanol is creating a tortilla crisis! The price of corn is starting to go up.
See article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/26/AR2007012601896_pf.html
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