Blast from the Past - EV1

[gaulfinger]

Ah, I so wanted one of these 15 years ago... Watching this now makes me realize how much of the EV1 ideas live on in the Volt...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpYdH...eature=related

[Jim I]

Of course they used what they learned from the design of the EV1.

And then they added to it to make it better!

C-5277

[WopOnTour]

As innovative as it was, the EV1 was about as unrefined as a mail order kit car. The first time I drove one about all I could think was "Cool but what a rattle trap" Still as an engineering exercise such that it was, much was learned and still considered a success from that perspective.
WOT

[scottf200]

Ah, I so wanted one of these 15 years ago... Watching this now makes me realize how much of the EV1 ideas live on in the Volt...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpYdH...eature=related

That was cool. Thanks.

This one shows driving aspects of it from the inside. Volt 1st then EV1

A descriptive tour of the Chevy Volt's instrument displays and driving modes. The 2011 Chevrolet Volt in a wonder to behold. It's a tight, quick, comfortable car. And by the way, it's propelled by an electric motor powered by lithium ion batteries. When the battery charge is depleted, a gasoline powered generator seamlessly generates electricity for the drive motor.

As one of 16 lucky people, I in October 2010, was invited to drive a pre-productiion Volt for 3 months prior to product launch. I also drove GM's previous electric car, the EV1, from 1996-2003.

[catbert]

In my opinion as a GM suppliers' employee for the EV program, the primary lessons of that car is what doesn't work. The EV was an eye opener on the overall complexities of a completely new technology. I think GM was surprised at how much they didn't know about making an electric car.

[saghost]

In my opinion as a GM suppliers' employee for the EV program, the primary lessons of that car is what doesn't work. The EV was an eye opener on the overall complexities of a completely new technology. I think GM was surprised at how much they didn't know about making an electric car.

Actually, I've often suspected this may be a large part of why the Volt is the polished experience that it is, especially compared to the competition - in a sense it's the EV2, a second generation where GM took everything they learned from EV1 and rolled it into a car they thought America could buy in substantial numbers.