Re: GM EV1
Dave U. Random
inter.net>
Dave U. Random <anonym...@anonymitaet-im-inter.net> wrote:
>
> (Car Lust) - In 1990 GM introduced the Impact (a rather
> unfortunate name for a car, if you ask me), an all-
electric
> vehicle at the 1990 LA Auto show. Based on a perceived
> positive viability of the Impact, GM went forward with a
> limited hand-built run of the Impact, lending 50 of them
> out to select customers for 1-2 weeks for evaluation.
Press
> and customer reaction seemed favorable, but I suspect that
> GM already had the electric car pegged as a mass-market
> dud. Still, they pressed ahead, led in part by
California's
> CARB regulations.
>
> As an aside, this wasn't the first electric car since the
> early 1900s, even by GM. The Henney Kilowatt was in
> production for two years, but only 100 were ever produced.
> Others had a bit more luck; Sebring-Vanguard produced more
> than 2,000 of its CitiCars. GM itself had tinkered with
all-
> electric versions of its Corvair and Chevette lines in the
> 1960s and 1970s, respectively.
>
> The end result of the Impact was the 1996 EV1. It was the
> first model to wear the "GM" brand and was introduced to
> much fanfare in the mass media. Initially, the EV1 was
only
> made available to lessees in southern California and
> Arizona, including some high-profile celebrities. Lessees
> tended to be rather fanatical about their EV1s -- some
> would say absurdly so -- but they had some good reasons to
> be enthusiastic...
>
> Continued: http://tr.im/EV1GM
Following on my post on the GM EV1, I ended up poking
around a little more in the world of electric cars and,
given my adoration for nearly all things '70s (vehicles
anyway; well, some other stuff, too), I started looking
into a little-known company that was, at one time the fifth
(or sixth, estimates vary) largest automobile manufacturer,
by volume, in the US--Sebring-Vanguard and its most famous
product, the CitiCar. Like the EV1, I don't really lust
after this car, although I hope one day to see one up
close. At more than 2,500 units sold, this is the most
successful electric car of the modern era and may be the
reason why the electric-car idea gained momentum late in
the century...
Continued: http://xrl.us/CitiCar
Mike Hunter
"Dave U. Random" <anon...@anonymitaet-im-inter.net> wrote in message
news:12395ec84daf6c45...@anonymitaet-im-inter.net...
hls
"Dave U. Random" <anon...@anonymitaet-im-inter.net> wrote in message
news:12395ec84daf6c45...@anonymitaet-im-inter.net...
> successful electric car of the modern era and may be the
> reason why the electric-car idea gained momentum late in
> the century...
>
> Continued: http://xrl.us/CitiCar
>
From Wikipedia
"At the turn of the century, 40 percent of American automobiles were powered
by steam, 38 percent by electricity, and 22 percent by gasoline. 33,842
electric cars were registered in the United States, and America became the
country where electric cars had gained the most acceptance. Sales of
electric cars peaked in 1912."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_car
We must re-invent the battery, it seems
C. E. White
"hls" <h...@nospam.nix> wrote in message
news:TLSdnT7EYpD6ZEPW...@giganews.com...
Not if you are willing to live with a range of 30 miles and a top
speed of 30 mph.
Ed
Björn Helgason
> "Dave U. Random" <anonym...@anonymitaet-im-inter.net> wrote in messagenews:12395ec84daf6c45...@anonymitaet-im-inter.net...
The battery has been re-invented and that is why the electical car has
become a reality.
Companies like GMW routinely discarded electrical options because they
are too efficient and last longer than combustion cars.
Because of competition from cellphones and computers the batteries
have become better and others than GMW and the likes are coming
massively into the market for electrical cars.
The auto industry is going into a bigger transition than ever before
and those who are not electric are out.
Hybrids will have some parenthetical short time lasting a few years
while there will be enough production capacity of electrical cars.
It is already happening so there is no question of when it is now and
anyone thinking about replacing a car should think electric or at
least pluginhybrid in the meantime.
The old car as we know it is just that old car and old technology and
is soon soooo obsolete.
This change is part of the reason why GM went bust and why GMW will
never make it.
hls
"Bj�rn Helgason" <gos...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:604b90f5-139e-4848...@q32g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
On 3 Maj, 16:27, "hls" <h...@nospam.nix> wrote:
> "Dave U. Random" <anonym...@anonymitaet-im-inter.net> wrote in
> messagenews:12395ec84daf6c45...@anonymitaet-im-inter.net...
>
> > At more than 2,500 units sold, this is the most
> > successful electric car of the modern era and may be the
> > reason why the electric-car idea gained momentum late in
> > the century...
>
> > Continued:http://xrl.us/CitiCar
>
> From Wikipedia
> "At the turn of the century, 40 percent of American automobiles were
> powered
> by steam, 38 percent by electricity, and 22 percent by gasoline. 33,842
> electric cars were registered in the United States, and America became the
> country where electric cars had gained the most acceptance. Sales of
> electric cars peaked in 1912."
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_car
>
> We must re-invent the battery, it seems
The battery has been re-invented and that is why the electical car has
become a reality.
\
*****
I dont think it has become a reality. Yes, you can get some sort of
electrical car (cart, more like it), and it will get you a few miles between
charges until, like computers using similar battery technology, the
charge interval worsens to the point of frustration.
It is a concept whose time is not quite ripe.
I have a GM Reatta which was made in 1990. It was an attempt
by GM to put some of their parts into a nice looking little chassis,
bugger the thing to death with electronics that were before their time
(meaning they appealed to some people but quickly became an
unbearable PITA). It was an expensive failure. Still attractive and
nice to drive, when the gods of transportation are looking the other
way, it was a "high technology" flop.
I think the present electric cars are bound to be floppish too. Someday
they may be worth buying, but right now I dont have the time, the
income, the patience, and the inclination to buy into another Floppomobile.
Björn Helgason
> "Björn Helgason" <gos...@gmail.com> wrote in message
Even real old companies like renault, mercedes and vw are coming out
with electric cars
http://green.autoblog.com/2010/03/01/volkswagen-announces-electrification-plan-500-golf-evs-in-2011/
tesla has had an electric cars for some years and has sold its
technology to the likes of marcedes.
The electrical car is here and it is ready even if you are not.
The production capacities are building up and fast.
Vic Smith
The hybrids are just a short step away already.
Main issue with the electrics is getting the cost down, which will
happen as production ramps up.
Some will never buy them, but there is a huge base of drivers who
drive less than 30 miles a day who would love to have one now.
I can see a future infrastructure with standardization of batteries
and battery stations where they can be swapped, solving the "distance"
issue.
Maybe it's a mirage.
Heating and A/C are issues I haven't seen addressed.
Seems a small efficient combustion engine is still needed for that.
--Vic
hls
"Bj�rn Helgason" <gos...@gmail.com> wrote in message news:2cac6b1f-c076-
Even real old companies like renault, mercedes and vw are coming out
with electric cars
**************
I know, everyone is being put in the position of having, or claiming to be
working on, electrical cars.
If you know me at all, you know that I am very conservative about things
like this. As far as I can tell, none of these cars are really really
ready to
be sold en masse and used on the highways, any more than the electrics
that went in my Reatta were ready to be used either.
There is still a little bit of "Popular Science" cover story about these
cars.
They WILL come in time, no doubt. I would rather have a redheaded
Italian wife or a gambling addiction, though, at this stage of the
development.
Björn Helgason
>
> >tesla has had an electric cars for some years and has sold its
> >technology to the likes of marcedes.
>
> >The electrical car is here and it is ready even if you are not.
> >The production capacities are building up and fast.
>
> The hybrids are just a short step away already.
> Main issue with the electrics is getting the cost down, which will
> happen as production ramps up.
> Some will never buy them, but there is a huge base of drivers who
> drive less than 30 miles a day who would love to have one now.
> I can see a future infrastructure with standardization of batteries
> and battery stations where they can be swapped, solving the "distance"
> issue.
> Maybe it's a mirage.
> Heating and A/C are issues I haven't seen addressed.
> Seems a small efficient combustion engine is still needed for that.
>
> --Vic
Heating is not an issue.
They have used electrical cars in finnland for years without heating
problems.
The electrical cars do not need to ventilate as much as the combustion
(and hybrids) do because there are no fumes to get rid of so there is
a lot less heating needed and the heat from you is more or less
enough.
Also during standstill when the battery is recharged it is also
possible to heat the car.
There are lot of new things most people need to learn and rethink
regarding electrical cars.
The old car companies never wanted electrical cars and have tried
their utmost to stop this change.
They still are with the hybrids where they are muddling the issue.
The hybrids are worse than the old cars but pluginhybrids are sort of
ok as a short time interim solution - or - maybe not.
Björn Helgason
> "Björn Helgason" <gos...@gmail.com> wrote in message news:2cac6b1f-c076-
All the old car companies are pretending to care but they are more or
less forced into electric because of the internet and outsider
companies making real electrics.
Only thing holding back electrics now is production capacity.