A film documentary, “Who killed the Electric Car” was released last weekend in New York and LA. Its about the short and tragic life of the EV-1 electric car launched by General Motors in 1996. According to the film, the car was a technological marvel – cheap, fast, and with zero emission. After a few years into the program (2002), it was suddenly cancelled and the cars scrapped.
The film poses the question, Who killed the electric car? Was it “Big Oilâ€, Washington, infrastructure costs, lack of consumer interest, poor GM marketing and promotion.
Today, the market has dozens of hybrid vehicles and the sales numbers have increased year over year. Below is a quote is from Hybridcars.com
“Hybrid car sales have risen consistently in the U.S., since the Honda Insight debuted in the American market in 1999. In that year, only a couple of hundred Insights were sold. U.S. hybrid sales have generally doubled every year:
9,350 in 2000
20,287 in 2001
35,000 in 2002
47,525 in 2003
88,000 in 2004
205,749 in 2005
116,871 in 2006 (thru June) ”
If the EV-1 had launched in 2006 instead of 1996 how would market react to it? Was the EV-1 just ahead of its time or was GM just not visionary enough to stick with the program?
More info:
http://www.hybridcars.com/ Great source of information about hybrid cars
The Director of the Film, Chris Paine was guest of NPR show, Science Friday. Click here to listen to the pocast.
I know people. Well, I know people who know people. Monique Hayward is owner of the Dessert Noir Café & Bar located at Cedar Hills Crossing in Beaverton, Oregon. Her cafe was recently visited by the world famous actor, Morgan Freeman.  She shared about her experience in the following email:
Last night, Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman and his team took a break from filming Feast of Love to visit Dessert Noir Café & Bar for dinner.
First Sinbad and now Morgan Freeman. You never know who just might be dropping in at Dessert Noir Café & Bar. www.dessertnoir.com
It looks like just about every major car company will have a hybrid vehical by 2007. Check out this interesting Reuters article on a hybrid alliance research project consisting of General Motors, BMW, and DaimlerChrysler. If we did Kill the Electric Car, maybe we can bring it back to life
TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan (Reuters) – A research alliance consisting of General Motors Corp. (NYSE:GM – news), BMW AG (BMWG.DE) and DaimlerChrysler AG (DCXGn.DE) plans to invest over $1 billion in the development of a new hybrid transmission and related systems that backers say will leapfrog the market-leading technology now offered by Toyota Motor Corp. (7203.T).
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The three automakers have about 500 engineers who have been working for the past 18 months on the joint development of the next-generation hybrid engine technology, which combines a battery-powered electric motor with a conventional gasoline combustion engine, company representatives said on Friday on the sidelines of an industry trade meeting.
The so-called dual-mode hybrid technology that has been under development by the consortium includes an onboard fuel-optimization computer that determines when and at what speeds the two motors will be used for power and how the on-board battery will be recharged.
Development of the transmission — the core of the project — is expected to cost about $300 million for the partners, said Andreas Truckenbrodt, executive director of DaimlerChrysler’s hybrid programs. The remainder of the investment represents the cost of integrating the new hybrid system with other vehicle components, he said.
“What’s often forgotten about the hybrid technology is that you have to put it into the car,” Truckenbrodt told reporters.
The hybrid engine will be made available in two rear-wheel drive configurations or a front-wheel drive system, said representatives of the joint development project based in the Detroit suburb of Troy, Michigan.
Depending on the requirements of the market and the automaker, the system can be adjusted to provide either improved value or high performance, they said.
“We believe that our two-mode hybrid is the best of the hybrid systems,” Truckenbrodt said. “I think all three of us can say it’s truly amazing what you can get out of if you bring wild, dedicated engineers together.”
DaimlerChrysler plans to use the new hybrid system in its 2008 Dodge Durango sport utility vehicle.
GM will use the hybrid in versions of the Tahoe and Yukon SUVs it plans to make available at the end of 2007.
BMW has not committed to a timetable for using the new engine system, but has said that it will make vehicles available with the upcoming hybrid engine system over the next three to five years.
Truckenbrodt and representatives of both GM and BMW said a collaborative development effort on an expensive emerging technology such as hybrid transmissions would become increasingly common in the auto industry as companies look to share such costs.
“It’s an expensive venture,” said Larry Nitz, executive director of GM’s global hybrid powertrain development. “But working together not only shares the cost but improves the (product). Working together we were able to pick the highest bar.”
GM is currently considering an alliance with Renault-Nissan that could include shared development efforts and other collaboration that has been urged by the automaker’s largest individual investor, billionaire Kirk Kerkorian.
I’m definitely not a wine drinker, but a co-worker twisted my arm into trying a glass a few months ago during a business trip. The wine is called Stag’s Leap Winery Petite Syrah Napa and I absolutely loved it. Here’s a link to to their website:
http://www.winechateau.com/vsku1255655.html
A film documentary, “Who killed the Electric Car†was released last weekend in New York and LA.  Its about the short and tragic life of the EV-1 electric car launched by General Motors in 1996.  According to the film, the car was a technological marvel – cheap, fast, and with zero emission.   After a few years into the program (2002), it was suddenly cancelled and the cars scrapped. Â
The film poses the question, Who killed the electric car? Was it “Big Oilâ€, Washington, infrastructure costs, lack of consumer interest, poor GM marketing and promotion. Â
Today, the market has dozens of hybrid vehicles and the sales numbers have increased year over year. Below is a quote is from Hybridcars.comÂ
“Hybrid car sales have risen consistently in the U.S., since the Honda Insight debuted in the American market in 1999. In that year, only a couple of hundred Insights were sold. U.S. hybrid sales have generally doubled every year:
- 9,350 in 2000
- 20,287 in 2001
- 35,000 in 2002
- 47,525 in 2003
- 88,000 in 2004
- 205,749 in 2005
- 116,871 in 2006 (thru June) â€
If the EV-1 had launched in 2006 instead of 1996 how would market react to it?    Was the EV-1 just ahead of its time or was GM just not visionary enough to stick with the program?  Â
More info:
http://www.hybridcars.com/Â Great source of information about hybrid cars
The Director of the Film, Chris Paine was guest of NPR show, Science Friday. Click here to listen to the pocast.
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