» Who Killed the Electric Car?

Who Killed the Electric Car? Reviews

Customer Rating:
Summary: Bail out for GM? I don't think so! A Must SEE!
Comment: Every person in American who drives an automobile should see this movie! Why is American automobile manufacturer's behind in creating alternative autos that are more environmentally friendly??? Watch this DVD and discover the answer to our national dilemma.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Yet another 'Blood for Oil' conspiracy theorist movie.
Comment: It's amazing how Anti-American this country has begun. Instead of accepting things for what they are people need to come up with a conspiracy theory why things are a certain way and blame the Bush Administration, government, or the Illuminati.

The majority of the people who watch this are probably the same people who think we went to war in Iraq just for oil, the same people who think we never landed on the moon, the same people who think UFOs roam the planet at land on isolated farms.... People, seriously get a life.

Car manufacturers don't care about money, they care about the environment. They implemented the electric car but it didn't work. Manufacturers like GM care about the air you breath, don't want you to pay to much for repairs or parts, and want you to pay lower gas prices.

AVOID this movie and other conspiracy theories!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Who Killed the Electric Car Video
Comment: Excellent. Every American should watch this at least 3 times.

Ken Morton

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Thought-provoking, must-watch documentary for citizens of the Earth.
Comment: I watched this documentary as the Big Three were grovelling for government bailout in the wake of the economic downturn this year (2008) and find the sheer greed and short-sightedness of the American auto industry to be disgusting and deplorable. As another reviewer mentioned, GM completely squandered a golden opportunity to be the forerunner in the field of zero-emission vehicles. Instead, they decided to succumb to the easy, profitable (in the short term) way out by quashing the electric car and forcing SUVs and gigantor trucks down the American consumers' throats.

This documentary follows the almost-guaranteed-success of the electric car in California before GM took some huuuge missteps. The film includes many perspectives, such as the people who got to lease the electric cars, the California Clean Air Group and representatives of the Auto industry, etc. It is truly disturbing that many politicians and businessmen can lie through their teeth so seamlessly that they almost look like they believe in what they were lying about.

It's unfortunate that this documentary reminded us that big business will only take actions that benefit big business, even if it's only for the short-term, and that the consumers' real desires and needs are secondary to that. It is also somewhat scary to think that maybe the government and the politicians who are supposed to be representing the people and fighting for the rights of the people, might be colluding with big business.

It is a very thought-provoking film and is a bit of a conspiracy theory. It is very educational and it made me even more cynical about big business and government. However, a number of people who were interviewed towards the end of the film raised hopes in me that the future may not be that bleak. A must-see for tree-huggers and non-tree-huggers alike!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Did GM squander its first mover advantage?
Comment: General Motors began leasing EV1 electric cars in California and Arizona in 1996. It terminated the program in 2003 and refused to allow lessees to buy the cars at the end of the lease term. Instead, GM took the cars back and crushed them. The plot thickens as GM sells its stake in the EV1's battery supplier to an oil company.

The film examines several suspects:
Car companies
Oil Companies
California Air Resource Board
Consumers
Federal government
Hydrogen fuel cell technology
Battery technology

An important context was the State of California's mandate to automakers, requiring 2% of new vehicles sold in the state to meet zero emission standards by 1998, and 10% by 2003. After being sued by the auto industry and the Bush administration, the mandate was dropped.

The full title is: "Who Killed the Electric Car? A Lack of Consumer Demand or Conspiracy?" This is a rhetorical question. The filmmaker clearly dismisses GM's assertion that there simply wasn't sufficient demand for the product. This is confirmed by the headline on the back of the DVD case: "The Auto Industry's Biggest Conspiracy... Revealed."

Two years after this film was released, GM announced the Chevy Volt for the 2011 model year -- 14 years after the EV1 was launched. Did it really take 14 years for the technology to become practical for the mass market? Or did GM squander the opportunity to capitalize on the EV1's first mover advantage, paving the way for or Toyota Prius (or Tesla) to fill the void for alternative powertrain vehicles?

Conspiracy theory aside, this is a well-documented, thought-provoking film.

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