The EV1: Electric Car of the 90s Figure 1

Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5

World Solar Challenge  First solar vehicle competition  Held in Australia in November 1987  Major US car manufacturers like Ford and GM participated  Results stimulated interest in electric cars in the automobile industry Figure 6

California and the EV1  During the 1990s California had a tremendous smog and pollution problem that needed to be addressed.  California Air and Resources Board (CARB) passed a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate  Required car manufacturers to sell ZEVs if they wanted to sell cars in California  Lead to the development of EV cars

Design and Technology  Two seat cabin

Figure 7

Design and Technology  Two seat cabin  No key required

Figure 8 Figure 9

Design and Technology  Two seat cabin  No key required  Accelerates from 0-60 in 8 seconds

Design and Technology  Two seat cabin  No Key required  Accelerates from 0-60 in 8 seconds  Top average speed = 80 mph Highest clocked speed = 183 mph

Figure 10

Figure 11

Battery Specs  1 st generation EV1 carried a 26 lead- acid cell battery  Average range: miles per charge  Complete charge takes approx. 3 hrs 220 volt 6kW charger Charger plugs into the front of the car Figure 13

Charging Unit Figure 14

Battery Specs  2 nd generation EV1 carried a NiMH battery Developed by Stan Ovshinsky  Range: miles  Complete charge in approx. 5 hrs  Used the same charger as 1 st gen.

Figure 15 Figure 16

Cost of the EV1  Sold at ~$33,995, or leased for about $399 a month  Cost of operating an EV1 = Cost of operating a gasoline car EXCEPT gas costs 0.60 cents a gallon!  Maintenance is minimal Performed every 5000 miles No extra products

What happened to the EV1?  Approximately 4,000 leased  GM recalled and took back every car in less than 10 years  Crushed, shredded and destroyed Before Figure 18 After Figure 17

Who Killed the EV1?  Consumers  Government  Oil Companies  Automotive Industry

General Motors  Poor marketing  eneral_motors_ev- 1_tv_commercial_4.php eneral_motors_ev- 1_tv_commercial_4.php  NTOdemBw NTOdemBw

GM Claims  Claim: Wasn’t enough demand  Truth: EV1 had a waiting list of thousands of buyers.  Claim: Cars and batteries were too expensive to make.  Truth: Mass production could have helped streamline costs.

GM Motive  Why would GM want to get rid of the EV1? Profit Loss No need for servicing parts like oil filters Oil company connection?

Oil Companies  Funded opposition to the EV1  Profit loss Trillions of dollars of profits still left in oil reserves 13.5 million barrels a day in 2004

Government  Bush’s 2004 Economic Incentive Plan Tax credit for EVs: $4,000 Tax credit for luxury SUVs: $100,000  Joined Automotive Companies in suing CARB over the ZEV Mandate  Emphasis on Hydrogen Fuel Cell Development  Fuel economy standards have not improved since CAFÉ standards were adopted in 1975s  OPEC dropped oil prices

Consumers  Consumers were cautious to accepting the electric car  Many were ignorant to that it even existed  Many couldn’t see the difference between gas cars and EV cars  Consumers will buy what you market to them that they need to buy

Conclusion  Although the EV1 did have limitations, it possessed the potential to be a viable vehicle alternative.  Had the EV1 remained on the market, significant progress in the development of electric vehicles could have been made.

Figures Work Cited 1. "EV1." Photograph. Carfree World.9 Nov "1998 Electric Ford Ranger." Photographs. How Stuff Works.9 Nov "Ford Think." Photograph. 21stcentury.co.uk. 9 Nov "Honda EV Plus." Photograph. AutoWorld.9 Nov "Nissan Altra." Photograph. The Auto Channel.9 Nov "World Solar Challenge." Photograph World Solar Challenge.9 Nov , 12, 14. "Miscellaneous EV1." Photograph. EV1 FAQ.9 Nov "Inside the EV1." Diagram. EV1 Club.6 Nov "EV1 Engine." Photograph. Motortrend Blog.9 Nov "EV1 Battery." Photograph. JCWinni-Photobucket.9 Nov "EV1 Graveyard - December, Before." Digital Photograph. EV1 Club.5 Nov "EV1 Graveyard - December, After." Digital Photograph. EV1 Club.5 Nov

References  "History of Electric Vehicles from 1990 to 1998." EV History. 1 About.com. 5 Nov  Trexlar, Kris. Charge Across America. 1 Jan. 9 Nov  "United States." The World Factbook. 1 CIA. 9 Nov  Who Killed the Electric Car. Dir. Chris Paine: DVD. Sony Pictures,  "Who Killed the Electric Car." NOW. 9 June PBS. 5 Nov  Who Killed the Electric Car. Sony Pictures Classics. 5 Nov