Green-Car Faithful hold Vigil to save GM's EV-1 Electric Cars

[Ming]

SoCal vigil aims to save GM's groundbreaking electric car
Sunday, March 13, 2005
By JEREMIAH MARQUEZ
Associated Press Writer

BURBANK -- Doug Korthof was so enamored of the EV1 that he leased two after they hit the market in 1996.

But General Motors Corp. ended his love affair with the pioneering electric car in 2002 as the auto giant, fretting over minuscule demand, began pulling the battery-run coupes off the market and recycling them.

Now, Korthof is among dozens of green-car faithful holding an around-the-clock vigil outside a GM training center where more than 70 surviving EV1s have been stored en route to a crusher near Mesa, Ariz. Loyalists not only want to save the endangered cars, but to recharge the market for vehicles powered by electricity and other clean fuels.

The vigil began Feb. 16, drawing a mix of environmentalists, engineers and actors like Ed Begley Jr. and Alexandra Paul of "Baywatch." On Saturday, several dozen backers hoisted signs reading "Don't crush my EV1. Ransom It!" and "Sell us the EV1 for scrap" as they reminisced about their long-gone cars.

They even held a large novelty check representing the $1.9 million in pledges they say they've lined up to buy the vehicles.

"Never a day goes by that I don't miss my EV1s," said Korthof, 61, a retired computer programer. "GM is selling us gas-guzzling SUVs, so why can't they gives us the choice of electric cars?"

Prodded by state and federal officials, GM spent $1 billion in the early 1990s to develop and build the EV1 -- a compact, two-door coupe that could go as far as 140 miles on a single charge without dirtying the air.

The vehicle gained a passionate following of environmentalists, but never became popular enough to turn a profit: Only about 800 drivers ended up leasing the vehicle.

"I don't want to diminish any of their enthusiasm, but there were never enough of them to make it a commercially viable business for these cars," GM spokesman Dave Barthmuss said.

GM says it has to reclaim the cars because there isn't a large enough supply of the car's 2,000 parts. That could make the vehicles unsafe and lead to lawsuits, the company said, also citing legal obligations to service the cars.

EV1 supporters dismiss the argument as an excuse. They cite Ford Motor Co.'s decision earlier this year to allow leasers who protested in Sacramento to buy electric pickup trucks that had been discontinued. Barthmuss responded that unlike the EV1, that truck's parts were widely available.

Today, there are roughly 100 EV1s on the roads, driven by primarily GM engineers in New York and Massachusetts for "cold weather testing" of technology that could be used for other clean-burning vehicles, Barthmuss said. About 40 are in the hands of museums and researchers.

GM and some other automakers in recent years have backed away from cars running solely on natural gas or electricity in favor of electric-gasoline hybrids and fuel-cell vehicles powered by hydrogen. They maintain there's little demand for the older type of clean-burning cars.

Consumers like those gathered in Burbank, however, contend that GM never got fully behind the EV1. They point out that GM joined automakers in a lawsuit that dismantled a California program that promoted alternative fuel vehicles.

Barthmuss said he was unaware of any timetable to destroy EV1s.

Meanwhile, supporters are determined to keep up the pressure. When a truck hauled away seven EV1s last week, some protesters briefly tried to block its path.

Supporters have also begun demonstrating outside dealerships that sell GM cars, and have tentative plans to expand their rallies to parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, Arizona and Washington, D.C. The goal is to show GM there's plenty of demand for its EV1.

Full Article Here: http://www.napanews.com/templates/in...8-87744BD18A81

[goblue]

It's funny - just as batteries are starting to get good - GM has to pull the EV1 (I agree with GM - it makes sense) It's just a shame. Mark this, in 20 years we'll all be driving serial plug in hybrids (small diesel / alt gas or maybe even hydrogen powering a generator to keep batteries charged for very long range / towing) or full electric.

[gopedxr7]

i say let them keep the cars. just make them sign a waver that gm has no longer any responsibilty for the cars. the problem is that by crushing them it looks bad and gm.

Alan

[Kar Krazie]

Whats the harm? Just give them the cars! I always thought that the EV1 was a cool car. It has a very neat design. Just give them what they want and they will be out of your hair, GM!

[glen124]

Shame on GM. Let the commuters commute!!! I'll buy a (not for California-sale) VW diesel for myself though... Lets see, 140 mile range or 600 mile range..... Let the aftermarket service the EV1, and GM could save some face doing it!!

[ByTheLake]

To the EV-1 drivers: You signed leases. This means that you have to turn in the vehicle at the end of the term. Nearly $20,000 for a three-year lease, too. Goodness.

Tell you what ... for $15k, go buy a new Corbin Sparrow electric (http://www.sparrowelectriccars.com), so you can keep it after the three years is up.

[dindak]

GM should not crush the cars. Just stupid. Let people have them.

[pupp1]

I have to agree with GM.Due to the safety features that are not present, GM should dispose of them in a manner that they will no longer be on the road.
Now if they were to be put in a museum, then I would see no harm in that.

[GM_Fanatic]

Originally Posted by ByTheLake

To the EV-1 drivers: You signed leases. This means that you have to turn in the vehicle at the end of the term. Nearly $20,000 for a three-year lease, too. Goodness.

Tell you what ... for $15k, go buy a new Corbin Sparrow electric (http://www.sparrowelectriccars.com), so you can keep it after the three years is up.

You gotta be kidding me!?!? That looks exactly like those cars in Goldmember! That is hilarious!

[ChevroletRevived]

I love electric cars. Espessially the EV1. I'll tell you, if Gm lets the people buy the cars, which I hope and think that they will do, someday I would want to buy one. They are sooo cool! Save the EV1's GM!!

[Dead Dude]

Keep a few of them for the GM Archives, give the rest to museums across the US and get a tax deduction.

Problem solved.

[LAMRONH]

GM should sell them to the greenies. For the folks who actually believe these cars produce no pollution, I rekkin they don't know where beef, chicken, electricity, or paper comes from either. Or buy a Sparrow Electric! But to crush such a historic item, no matter its limited practical uses, is a shame. Like Chrysler's crushing the Turbo Cars of the 50s.

[x2222]

Does the ev-1 really produce less pollution than a hybrid for example? I heard that theres a lot of pollution that is emited as a result producing the battery of the car as well as the electricity used ot fill it up. If only Gm used that billion dollars to design hybrid technology before the japanese did. Im sure that they knew that electric cars could never really replace gas powered ones.

[atomicshark]

Originally Posted by ByTheLake

To the EV-1 drivers: You signed leases. This means that you have to turn in the vehicle at the end of the term. Nearly $20,000 for a three-year lease, too. Goodness.

Tell you what ... for $15k, go buy a new Corbin Sparrow electric (http://www.sparrowelectriccars.com), so you can keep it after the three years is up.

That thing is hilarious. I actually saw a yellow one on the Expressway almost 2 years ago in July. I was trying to figure out what the heck it was. I even took photos so I could google it when I got home. Luckily the back had a website and the Corbin logo on it. I love the Vette taillights, very sporty!

Here it is:

[gotz_otto]

I think that GM should keep the cars going even though there is not a lot of demand for them. I think GM needs to do some advertising for the EV-1. Maybe they could spark a fire with it.