Who Killed The Electric Car? — A Movie Review

This movie details the life cycle of the EV1 built by General Motors. It is an activist film. I almost expected to see Michael Moore doing a follow-up interview at the GM building in Detroit. To the automotive enthusiast, this film is absolutely alarming because there is a viable in-production at 4 units per day vehicle that was killed on multiple fronts at the same time. In 1996 the EV1 went into production. About 1,000 were built. I never had an opportunity to ride in or drive the EV1. However, I did have the opportunity to speak with a lady that had one in a Florida lease. She absolutely loved the car and I did have the opportunity to see her driving it on city streets and the interstate. EV1’s had an aluminum frame that was sophisticated and optimized for a sleek two passenger car. I remember seeing just an aluminum EV1 frame hanging up somewhere … unfortunately I just cannot remember where at the time this review is being written. As someone who has particular appreciation for drivable space frame technologies, this frame clearly incorporated suspension loading, occupant ergonomics, and collision dynamics. Yes, the EV1 was killed off and most of the cars were crushed and then shredded. There are a few non-drivable cars left including those at the National Museum of American History, a part of the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. and the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. 

Today GM is on the financial ropes. GM certainly would have a much better position on the soap box to speak with Congress and White House if the EV1 were kept in limited production. Yes, the Chevy Volt builds on the EV1 and the Volt promises to be a 4 passenger car without the electric-only range limit. Simply put, the top GM Business Executives and a substantial portion of the GM Board of Directors should be or have been replaced because their lack of vision and bad decisions, including EV1 termination, that have put GM on the brink of bankruptcy. The film tackles the energy crisis evolution from the Arab Oil Embargo, through Jimmy Carter and Ronald Regan concluding with George Bush. With the initial energy stage in place focus moves to the California Air Resources Board or CARB.

EV1 concept issues evolve to design and then manufacturing. Production vehicles are shown in operation and many customers are interviewed including actors Mel Gibson, Tom Hanks, and Ed Begley, Jr, in addition to selected others who happened to be secure a car. When GM decided to bring the cars back in GM did not renew the lease or provide for a purchase option. All of the cars eventually were returned for recycling, crushing, and shredding. GM’s actions were totally of a mind set that no extra parts or operational cars remained. GM designed and built the finest electric car in history. This 2006 film documents every key facet of the history, birth, operation, death, and mourning associated with the EV1. Sundance Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival awards. Simply a great film that fits between a true documentary and an open window to the future. The amount of effort that went into the film is significant and there are interviews on top of more interviews with key individuals that played a role or served as a focal point in the story. In this story line there are the good-guys, like Ralph Nader, and the not-so-good guys like Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, Andrew Card, oil industry Brass, auto industry Brass, and the CARB Chairman who killed Zero Emission Vehicles or ZEV. This is a controversial film. The best way to come to your own conclusion is to pick up a copy from the local library like I did.