The 1996 documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? explores the factors behind the demise of General Motors’ EV1, the popular and elusive electric car of the early 1990’s. The EVI was popular with the public, and it was clean, fast and efficient. This video sets out to solve what is effectively a murder mystery – the plug was pulled on the EV1 in 2002 after only 1,000 of these cars had been produced by GM, most of which were subsequently destroyed by the company in a secret location in the Arizona desert. It is evident that the electric car faced significant opposition in California during its short life. In terms of political forces, the EV1 was opposed in principle by the United States federal government, who actually joined automakers in a lawsuit against California for implementing the regulations that inspired the development of the electric car in the first place. The US government also discouraged the popularity of the electric car by offering staggeringly high tax incentives to purchasers of large gas-guzzling vehicles such as the Hummer. The California Air Resources Board, or CARB, started the initial incentive to develop the electric car with its zero-emissions regulations for automakers, but in the end CARB was clearly seen to cave under industry pressure and give their support to the development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles instead. The electric car was also challenged by economic factors. Because the EV1 was not being mass-produced, it was never able to benefit from the cost reduction that comes with economies of scale. Because of this, the car was more expensive for consumers, which limited its market to those who could afford it. The social factors contributing to the death of the EV1 are more ambiguous. GM ... ... middle of paper ... ...about 300 miles (compared to the 70 miles of the first-generation EV1) . Environmentally, US air quality is worse than it was 20 years ago, and consumers have begun to notice. This will likely contribute to an increased demand for zero- and low-emissions vehicles. Legislation has once again been introduced providing tax incentives, rebates, and even free parking for purchasers of hybrid and electric vehicles. By 2005, over 200,000 hybrid vehicle rebates were cashed in the US, and this number continues to rise . Increasing environmental awareness, coupled with a responsible American government and improved technology, have all contributed to the comeback of low-and zero-emissions vehicles in the US. It remains to be seen whether the automakers and oil companies will once again work to halt this progress, or embrace it as the technology of a more responsible future.
Electric cars have dated as far back as 1880, with the first model being mass produced in the later 1880’s. At early stages of automobiles, there were no clear benefits from either type of engine. In fact, a majority of cars in use at the time were electric. Steam and combustion engines were less developed and not as popular. Before the 1900’s an electric car held the land speed record for motor vehicles. (Bellis, 2014) As roads were built and the range that vehicles would need to travel increased, the need for a longer lasting vehicle rose. This is why at the turn of the century the popularity of gasoline powered engines arose. Electric vehicles were still valued for their short term transportation (within cities) and relatively easy use, but they began to lose prevalence as developments into combustion rose. Production for electric cars peaked in 1912 (Bellis, 2014) and saw a drastic decline since
Did you know that you can receive a maximum of a $7,500 tax credit for just owning an electric or hybrid vehicle? The United States government values citizens that buy fuel efficient vehicles because it gets the United States one step closer to not buying outsourced oil (Jones par.14). Hybrid vehicles are vehicles that are mostly powered by gasoline, but switch over to electric at stop signs or at coasting speeds. Electric cars are cars that are solely powered by electric from start up to shut down (Motavalli par. 6). Most cars and trucks on the road today are powered by gasoline or diesel engines, which are expensive to operate, bad for the environment, and use resources that are non renewable. To achieve better fuel economy, lower operation cost, reduce the pollution on the environment, and operate vehicles with renewable resources, this world needs to take a better look at using alternative fuels to power vehicles. Alternative fuels for motor vehicles are better for the environment, are renewable resource, and are cheaper for consumers.
Car enthusiasts are constantly debating about what a good car consists of and what is best for the environment. Some people say that electric is the future because it saves money
The 2006 documentary about Who Killed the Electric Car shows the determination of several California citizens whose willpower was to keep the electric car alive and running. The first existence of the electric car under General Motors (GM) dates back to 1996 when they launched the EV1 electric vehicle. And although several consumers took to this new form of transportation, a car that was powered by an electric motor in place of the basic gasoline engine, GM decided to take back its newest technology and removed all existing EV1’s from off of the streets. With several upset consumers who were concerned as to both what GM and the government were up to and how they could get their cars back. Overall, the fact behind why the electric car became such a superior commodity and then vanished was the question being asked. The electric vehicle was destroyed during 2004 and 2005 because a car of this statue was far ahead of its time and greater parts of consumers were not about “going green.” Today the electric car has begun to revive itself because of the existence of global warming, and the efficiency of the electric car is rising. In other words, the electric car has been brought back to life, and many automobile manufacturers are gaining interest.
Starting in the late 1700’s, European engineers began messing with motor powered vehicles. By the mid 1800’s, steam, combustion, and electrical motors had all been attempted. By the 1900’s it wasn’t very clear on which type of engine would really power the automobile. At that time, electric cars were the most popular but there were no batteries at that time that would allow a car to move very fast or a long distance. Commercial production in the United States began at the beginning of the 1900’s. In the early 1900’s, the United States had about two thousand firms producing one or more cars.
Although most people deem Henry Ford the father of automobiles, most historians agree that the birth of the modern car came about in the 19th century with some previous trial and error designs that led up to what we consider to be automobiles today. Beginning in the late 1700s, European engineers began experimenting with motor powered vehicles. Steam combustion and electric motors had all been attempted by the mid-1800s but had not yet been mastered. Surprisingly, the electric car was the most popular but a battery strong enough to move at more than a few miles per hour had not yet been invented yet. Imagine how different the world would be today if engineers had spent more time on innovating a battery for an electric car rather than creating a brand new engine with emissions which polluted the atmosphere. Automobile pioneers like Ransom E. Olds and Henry Ford c...
Nissan was the first company to introduce a 100 percent electric car that produces zero emission and they had great hopes for this vehicle (“Nissan Product Information”). According to Michael Strong, the company believed that this car would be the future of transportation and that it would soon be responsible for 10 percent of all new vehicle sales. However, after 3 years on the market, Nissan’s CEO Ghosn admitted that the Nissan Leaf is only accountable for 4...
In the film, “Who Killed the Electric Car”, by Chris Paine, it gives a closer look into the making and destruction of the electric cars. California has the worst air quality in the United States, so In 1990 California Air Research Board passed the Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate. The mandate meant that every big automobile company in California had to sell electric cars to continue selling their gasoline powered vehicles. General Motors offered the EV1, the first electric car in the modern era. The film explores the possible reason as to why the EV1 and many other similar models were erased from the automotive industry. Many felt as if auto companies did not promote the vehicle enough, auto companies reported that the electric cars did not
Orr, L. D. (1967). The electric car: Economics and technology. Business Horizons, 10(2), 47-56. doi:Retrieved from
...rther then the end of 2010, the introduction of the electric car is not far to come. With proper government regulations and consumer knowledge, adoptability of the electric car is possible. However, one can drastically differ in opinion as to why the required elements to support such a vehicle were not readily planned to facilitate such a change. The inadequacies draw wavering concerns for both consumers and business looking for the return of value and profit. The larger picture needs to be remembered in which oil is not a renewable resource and results in pollution and environmental hazard. Consumers and business must work together to overcome the roadblocks down the road and support each other in the introduction of and future of the electric car. Adjustments will have to be made on both sides to ensure success and minimize the society and economy disruptions.
The Automotive, or electric car industry particularly, comprises all those companies and activities involved in the manufacture of electric motor vehicles (EV), including most components, such as engines, bodies and rechargeable batteries or another energy storage device. The industry’s principal products are passenger automobiles. Despite the fact that the first electric cars were produced in 1880s , the advances in internal combustion engines, especially the electric starter, soon diminished the relative advantages of the electric car and became the dominant design in the market. Due to this the EV was almost a forgotten industry staying in the early stage of development, conforming to less than 1% of the automotive stock
The substantial increase in the demand for EV’s came just in time as we are slowly but surely running out of oil. Some estimate that by the year 2040, 35 percent of all vehicles will be electric (Sullins, 2017). An article from the U.S. Department of Energy stated that “Electric vehicles hold a lot of potential for helping the U.S. create a more sustainable future. If the U.S. transitioned all the light-duty vehicles to hybrids or plug-in electric vehicles, we could reduce our dependence on foreign oil by 30-60 percent, while lowering the carbon pollution from the transportation sector by as much as 20 percent (energy.gov, 2014). It’s obvious that gas-powered vehicles have harmed our planet with their emissions. Although EV’s cannot reverse that damage that has been done, they can eliminate, or at least slow down, the inevitable demise that our planet is headed towards. Along with the beneficial environmental factors that correspond with electric cars, there are also beneficial financial factors. The average American spends about $2,000 on gas annually. In the future, charging stations will charge roughly $12.00 for a full charge, which is about 300 miles. This means that the average American will save about $1,400 per year on these specific car
When Ford Motor Company was founded in 1903, it would go on to start a revolution for the American auto industry. Ford pioneered the assembly line and increased auto production substantially. Today, Ford is one of the most successful auto makers in the world. According to the company, a key factor of success is the focus on building relationships and placing the consumer first. Understanding the consumer and how they view business helps Ford to continue improvement ("Marketing strategy", 2010). Ford is a first-rate example of good marketing techniques. They know how to sell a vehicle to a consumer, as displayed by their position in the top eight of U. S. auto makers. New technology paves the way for new ideas, and new ideas do best when they use existing models. That is why the relatively new concept of battery operated cars should look to already successful auto makers for example. Battery powered cars are becoming more and more marketable with more research and a developing consumer base. Although there is plenty of development to ensue, this paper can help marketing managers figure out the best way to utilize the power of new technology and, in time, have a consumer base that desires battery powered cars for various reasons. This paper will show an array of issues that support an argument for the marketability of cars that operate on battery power.
The majority of people, especially in America, cannot go about their daily lives without a car. Automobiles have instilled themselves in peoples’ lives and shown their usefulness since their debut in 1769. Since then, humans have redesigned and refined the automobile thousands of times, each time making the vehicle more efficient and economical than before. Now as the world approaches an ethical decision to dwarf all others, many people look toward automotives for yet another change. The emergence of the hypercar due to ecological turmoil exemplifies the change the world has demanded. Hypercars alter everything people know about automotives, modern ecology, and fuel efficiency. Not only do hypercars offer a solution to many ecological problems humans are faced with now, they also represent the only logical area for the automotive industry, and by some stretch American society, to expand.
doubtful that electric cars will ever enjoy the range or performance advantages to which auto