The General Motors EV1 was a two-seat electric coupé built from 1996 to 1999. It was the first serious attempt by a large American manufacturer at a purpose-built electric car, it was leased rather than sold, and its cancellation became one of the most argued-about decisions in the industry.
Chevrolet EV1 at a glance
| Production | 1996–1999 |
|---|---|
| Maker | General Motors |
| Class | Two-door, two-seat subcompact coupé |
| Body | Aluminium frame, lightweight panels |
| Motor | Three-phase AC induction, 137 hp (102 kW) |
| Generations | Two short ones |
| Markets | California, Arizona and Georgia at first |
| Programme ended | 2003 |
| Legacy | Who Killed the Electric Car? (2006) |
The article is based on the English Wikipedia page on the General Motors EV1.
History of the Chevrolet EV1
In 1990 General Motors showed the battery-electric Impact prototype, and in the same year the California Air Resources Board required the seven largest carmakers selling in the state to produce zero-emission vehicles to keep access to the California market. The production EV1 grew out of the Impact. GM began building it in 1996, and in its first period most cars were leased to customers in California, Arizona and Georgia, with leasing programmes spreading to other states within a year.
The car had a lightweight aluminium frame and a three-phase AC induction motor producing 137 hp. It was produced in two short generations. At the 1998 Detroit auto show GM displayed several prototypes based on it, including a series hybrid, a parallel hybrid, a compressed natural gas version and a four-door conversion. Customers liked the car, but GM concluded that electric cars were an unprofitable niche and recovered and crushed most of the fleet.
In 2003 GM ended the EV1 programme despite protests from lessees. The decision has been disputed ever since: enthusiasts, environmental groups and former customers accused the company of sabotaging its own electric programme, and some blamed the oil industry. The affair inspired the 2006 documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? and gave GM a lasting reputation as the company that killed the electric car.
Design and features
- Purpose-built: designed as an electric car from the start, not converted from a petrol model.
- Lightweight construction: an aluminium frame kept the weight down.
- Induction motor: 137 hp from a three-phase AC unit.
- Lease only: the cars were never sold, which is why so few survive.
Chevrolet EV1 versions
- First generation (1996): the original lead-acid battery cars.
- Second generation (1999): the later, revised version.
- 1998 prototypes: series and parallel hybrids, a natural gas version and a four-door.
The EV1 was the ancestor of later electric Chevrolets such as the Chevrolet Volt and the Chevrolet Bolt. More cars are in the Chevrolet collection.
Video: A look back at the EV1
Video by Autoline Network on YouTube.
Sources
- General Motors EV1, English Wikipedia: history, technology, lease programme, cancellation
