Electric Blues

The story behind the General Motors EV1 electric vehicle is one of the gripping industry tales of the 20th century and not because it's the conspiracy some claim.

The story actually starts with a strong Australian connection after GM blitzed the 1987 World Solar Challenge with its Sunraycer, aided by local Holden identities Ray Borrett and John Harvey. The event was used to create an interface between Californian energy company AeroVironment Inc and the new GM Hughes Electronics division with the rest of the corporation. It marked a brand new development stream that is now finding a footing as new market conditions force consumers to shift expectations.

By 1991, when GM's first Impact electric passenger car was a running prototype, the company had set up the USABC (United States Advanced Battery Consortium) after recognising that parallel technologies had to advance at the same rate. By the end of 1992, the corporation's ailing fortunes killed the program just as the Impact electric vehicle was to go into limited production.

After most of the Impact team were redeployed, just 100 engineers kept it alive offsite. By mid-1993 they had delivered a small batch of Impact early development cars to an enthusiastic technical press. Buoyed by the Impact's performance, practicality and engineering advances, the media encouraged GM to build 50 preview cars in 1994 for trials by everyday drivers. It was a huge learning curve, generating new data and feedback including, to everyone's surprise, how receptive the public was to the vehicle despite its limitations.