Added: Nov 19, 2008

From: liveoilfree

Duration: 6:14

EV1 was a big success, not a failure! GM lies, claiming that it was the range that caused people not to buy it; but it was never offered for sale, and no one complained about the range!It's an illusion to think that because you sometimes might want to go 1000 miles, that your car has to be able to do that on any day. Instead of touring the USA in a car, use your RV!We've driven 600,000 miles in EVs since 1997, that's a lot of driving; and the point is, you don't do it in long-distance driving. The fact that not everyone wants an EV should not be the reason to stop EVERYONE from buying one!All we ask is to make them available on the free market at a fair price.But GM continues to mischaracterize the EV1 as not being the success that it was, and continues to pretend that there were not millions of EV miles driven -- and still being driven!The VOLT is a HOAX. If GM were serious, it would first admit that past Electric cars, such as the EV1, RAV4-EV and HondaEV, were successful and worked well, were beloved by their drivers, and didn't have any problem with "RANGE" or "RECHARGE". In fact, there were no problems with the EV1 or any other Electric car except the fact that the Alliance of Auto Makers (AAM) members were unwilling to sell them to willing buyers. Unique to auto sales, the AAM just would not let go of EVs, insisting on keeping their mitts into the panties of EV buyers, controlling the EV, keeping it and refusing to alienate it by selling it.If GM were honest, it would admit that the EV1 didn't have a range problem, wasn't turned in because it took too long to charge, and there weren't drivers sitting on tenterhooks afraid of running out of juice. All those "reasons" were just plain false, and, if repeated by GM, just plain lies. Secondly, IF GM were serious and the VOLT were not a HOAX, GM would look to past experience: instead of waiting for the perfect battery, past SUCCESSFUL EVs were started with the batteries that existed, and later upgraded to better batteries. GM carefully defines the VOLT as a 40-mile-range Electric car with a range-extending genset, what Alan Cocconi used to call a "Long Ranger" which he had mounted in a trailer for hooking onto the T-zero (successor to the EV1) for long trips. This trailer was so sophisticated, it just plugged into the EV and had automatic backing software built into the system.GM supposedly can't produce a 40-mile-range Electric car without using $20,000 Lithium batteries that don't yet exist. RAV4-EV and HondaEV: the first versions had lead-acid batteries, later upgraded to NiMH. S10E: This Chevy electric truck first came out using lead, then was upgraded to NiMH.RangerEV: Ford's electric pickup came out using lead, then upgraded to NiMH. If the VOLT were not a HOAX, GM would issue it with LEAD batteries, which is all you need for 100 miles all-electric range, and which are very cheap (as proven by the 1997 and 1999 lead-version EV1, which got over 100 miles range on the PSB EV-EC 1260 lead-acid battery).But the VOLT, is a HOAX, for these exact reasons. GM is supposedly waiting for a battery that does not exist; they are just delaying until the price of gas comes down.Now let's see if 8 kWh of golf-cart batteries would run the VOLT for 15-miles of all-electric range. These batteries RETAIL for $1600 for the entire 8 kWh, and last over 50,000 miles. They recycle. Each kWh yields 3 to 6 miles, so if you only use half of the 8 kWh, you have at least 12 and possibly 24 all-electric miles; if you use all, you have over 20 to perhaps 40 miles all-electric range. Now let's look at the weight; the 20 to 40-mile range lead pack weighs 480 lbs (60 lbs. per battery, with racks); the supposed VOLT $20,000 16 kWh Lithium battery (8 kWh useable) weighs (in GM's imagination) over 400 lbs. and doesn't yet exist.So with the same weight, low cost, and the imperative of getting them on the road, you can see why successful EV makers in the past started with cheap lead batteries as proof-of-concept and to run them (some S10E and RangerEV are still using lead-acid to this day).Hence, GM is not serious, or is ignorant, or arrogantly denies the facts and the truth. Thus, the VOLT...is a HOAX.GM is postponing producing a plug-in car until 2011 or later; but it doesn't have a battery that's proven to work.The Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV) like the VOLT, a serial hybrid, only needs a 40 mile range.If GM were no on a hoax, it would, like all successful EVs, sell it with lead-acid batteries first, and then later upgrade to Nickel or Lithium.But the evidence is that GM is just waiting, hoping for the price of gas to come down and the whole Electric car thing will be dropped.

Channel: Autos

Tags: ev1  gm-failure  liar  lutz  success 


Rating: 3.67 (6 ratings)    Views: 938' favoriteCount='2    Comments: 16

r4nd0mn4me Says:

Nov 19, 2008 - I went down town this week, then came home after shopping, then drove to work and back twice and only put 79kms on my car.

r4nd0mn4me Says:

Nov 19, 2008 - I can't wait for the Mitsubishi i-MiEV to hit the market in 2010 and show GM how EV's are done. No really, I can't wait, I want to build my own...but can I live for 3 years with a 50km range until new batteries become available? Decisions, decisions.

kostea13 Says:

Nov 19, 2008 - EV IS THE FUTURE !

bg1379 Says:

Nov 19, 2008 - A) The range was significantly less than 500.B) Do you want to choose between the heater and the lights?C) Are you a MORON? You are saying that they claim their technology was rubbish! Why in the world would they do that? Be real.

AcuraNissanMan Says:

Nov 19, 2008 - get your facts straight. and i agree with bg - why the HELL would gm say their car was crap? you are incredibly arrogant and need to get real.

liveoilfree Says:

Nov 19, 2008 - They are saying that it failed because of its short range; you need to study. Whether they are saying it's "crap" is another issue.Just lying about the reason for GM crushing it is imporant; you must learn.

liveoilfree Says:

Nov 19, 2008 - You have obviously never driven an EV1, and don't know a thing about the feelings of those who drive EVs.Range of 500 miles is NOT an issue! How many times do you drive that far? Keep a gas car, or take a plane!GM tried to kill the EV1 from the time it was announced by the late Roger B. Smith; he lost his job over it. Study and learn.

liveoilfree Says:

Nov 19, 2008 - We've got 120 miles range on our 2002 and Toyota 2003 RAV4-EV.I don't know where you come up with "50 km", which is onlyh 36 miles. Study!

bg1379 Says:

Nov 19, 2008 - So, once again, if GM had a hit on their hands why would they speak negatively of it?

r4nd0mn4me Says:

Nov 19, 2008 - I said if I were to build my own EV, using the drive systems and pb/acid batteries that are available today, I would be looking at about a 50km range or one km per two amp hours. Most pb/acid batteries only have 40 to 100 amp hours and are two heavy to double up on. Only a few small manufactures are still making NiMH batteries, and they are rather small and would seriously complicate the pack.The i-MiEV can attain a range of about 160km, I am sorry for any misunderstandings.

liveoilfree Says:

Nov 19, 2008 - The 1999 lead-acid EV1, and the upgraded 1997 EV1 with lead-acid PSB 1260 batteries, had over 100 miles range and used LEAD ACID batteries. It was no lightweight, either. We carried hundreds of pounds of tools in its large trunk.

liveoilfree Says:

Nov 19, 2008 - That's the million dollar question, isn't it? In the movie, WKtEC, the speculation was that GM was afraid of its impact on dealer sales and was afraid it was TOO well liked, afraid it would have to make a lot of them. And indeed, that fear was well-placed, people stood in the rain and got arrested (by GM) for trying to buy one.

igotwhips Says:

Nov 19, 2008 - GM is one of the worst run companies. They've been bleeding money for years and haven't made a decent quality car that lasts over 2 decades without restoration. My 1993 Nissan Maxima still runs strong and still looks good. The problem with the EV1 was it's aweful styling. Otherwise it had good mechanical features. GM is full of whining babies that build what people want rather than what they need. No one needs a Hummer!

brodieman267 Says:

Nov 19, 2008 - because gm is in bed with big oil, and if people drove electric cars exxon mobil could not make record profits every year. put simply oil companies do not want renewable energy while there is still oil that can be drilled and sold at an inflated price.

sirberner12 Says:

Nov 19, 2008 - i wish i had a EV-1

sirberner12 Says:

Nov 19, 2008 - 100 mi. = 160.934 km