Reply #19: Hadn't heard about that one

[wtmusic]

I doubt if many will get bought because of stupid engineering oversights like that, plus only a marginal increase in mileage.

With the EV1 they were dragged in kicking and screaming to the table by the California's Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, and they made a hell of a car. I go back and forth about this, but IMO one of the main factors the EV1 disappeared wasn't the petroleum industry or even nefarious intent by GM--it was an marketing oversight, namely the charger. GM incorrectly assumed EV1 lessees would demand being able to recharge the car in under an hour, so they developed a high-voltage inductive charging system which cost owners up to $5,000 (sometimes including electrical work to their home!) to install.

As interest in the PHEVs (soon-to-come plugin hybrids) is bearing out, most electric car owners would be more than happy to plug the car into an ordinary wall socket and leave it overnight. Easier, simpler, cheaper. Of course the Petroleum Institute was only too happy to tamp moist earth over the EV1's grave.