GM Electric Cars

GM electric cars have come and gone over the years. This page gives a condensed history of the GM EV.

The GM EV1 was like the electric car of the 1990’s. The car was almost universally well received, respected and regarded. People loved the cars. The EV1 however could not be bought, only leased. People tried to buy them, but GM would not sell the EV1.

In 2003, the California Air Resources Board rolled back its requirement that of all cars sold in California, 10% must be zero emissions. This essentially stopped electric car development by major manufacturers who saw their 100,000 cars per year market evaporate. At about $20,000 per car that's $2,000,000,000 - $2 billion.

After the decision, EV1 leases were cancelled and the cars were recalled. Then, against organized and widely publicized consumer protest, the cars were summarily crushed. The remains were likely smelted and re-cast into gas guzzlers. The story was the same over at Ford with the Ford Th!nk.

Ironically, the customer was on the right track against the misdirection of a few corporate board and large stock holder types. GM proceeded to manufacture gas gulping vehicles which provided a large per vehicle profit, but eventually left the
company floundering and filing for bankruptcy.

The EV1 story is one of the more well documented examples of corporate greed, manipulation, and putting money above societal well being. It was too bad for everybody except perhaps a few GM top managers and large share holders. To add insult to injury, GM recently received bankruptcy relief funds from some of those EV1 taxpayers.

Interested readers might want to check out the movie "Who Killed the Electric Car." It is a detailed documentary of the EV1 story.

Now in 2010, GM is producing a series hybrid vehicle called the Chevy Volt. Chevy has been calling the Volt a Range Extended Electric Vehicle. It is not a pure EV, and retains an onboard (ICE) internal combustion engine.

The Volt is classified as a series hybrid car since it has an onboard ICE. However, there is no direct mechanical connection between the ICE and the wheels. So, the Volt is basically an electric vehicle with an onboard ICE to extend range.

GM is now funding a project related to the Volt. The Indiana based startup Bright Automotive is developing a plug-in hybrid van with the aid of GM Ventures, the new venture capital arm of General Motors. The new van is projected (like the Volt) to travel 40 miles on a battery pack before an ICE kicks in to provide propulsion. In a bit of wordplay, the name of the new Bright van will be the (Bright) Idea.

In the fall of 2010, GM announced a plan to produce a new all electric car. The new car called the Chevy Cruze EV is designed to compete with the Nissan Leaf. Specs for the new GM EV include a 31 kW battery pack.

This latest of GM electric cars uses the Chevy Volt as a platform, minus the ICE and gas tank. The car is moving to market ASAP. GM has also gone public with the biggest IPO in US history at around $23 Billion.

Looking to the future of personal transport, GM has designed the EN-V, a 2-seater, enclosed low speed bubble. The bubble is based on the Segway platform, and can be linked to other transporters.

Other GM Evs in the Works

The Opel Ampera is the European version of the Volt. The car appears to be selling very well.

GM is reported to be considering at least an EV Cadillac. The E-Caddy would be based on the Volt platform. The Converj could see production in 2013 or 2014.

GM has teamed up with Reva to design a Reva-like EV called the Beat. The Beat claims 60 hp and a 130 km/80 mile range.

The global and USA version of the Beat would be the Chevy Spark. The all electric Spark is possible by 2013.

Real World Volt

Drivers of the Volt are reporting that they are using the battery pack way more than the gas tank. Volt owners are averaging 1,000 miles per 9-gallon tank of gas!

Real World Solar

General Motors has backed solar energy for some time, and has placed MegaWatt level panel installations at its assembly plants. GM is now urging its dealers to install solar canopies on their lots. The grid-tied canopies will recharge Chevy Volts.