EV1 (General Motors)

EV1 can also refer to Saturn EV-1

EV1 was the first electric car of series produced by General Motors with the the United States and before Pontiac G6, was the only vehicle of the history of this company to carry the mark " General Motors". This car was only available in Location long life and not with the sale.

GM rented more than 800 produced cars EV1 out of the 1100, the rented vehicles having by contract to be restored with GM after the term of the 3 years hiring. They were available in California and Arizona and could be rented and entretenuee in the dealers Saturn.

The goal of the EV1 was on the one hand, to satisfy the new laws Californian on the vehicles with zero emission of the beginning of the year 1990. This program ZEV (Zero emission conveys) specified that in 1998,2% of the whole of the vehicles put in circulation were not to emit any polluting gas more. GM spent more than one billion dollar to develop and market the EV1, although most of this cost was dealt with by the Clinton administration

In 2001, GM cancelled program EV1. In spite of waiting lists of customers and a positive return of the tenants, GM declared that it could not run out enough of cars to make this program profitable and that a waiting list of 5000 people generated only 50 customers really willing to rent. However, each EV1 offered to the hiring found taking. The price of the vehicle used for the calculation of the rents varied from 33.995 $ to 43.995 $, which represented monthly rents of 299 $ to 574 $. Official of auto industry declared that each EV1 cost GM approximately 80.000 $, including the costs of research and development. The price of hiring of the vehicles also depended on the handing-over practiced by the states. At the time, the cost of electricity employed as driving force of the vehicle returned to approximately 1/2 to 1/3 of the gasoline cost.

A report diffused on the public channel PBS in July 2006 blames the oil lobbies and the Bush administration to push GM to stop the program of the EV1.

Technology

The EV1 was a vehicle designed especially for the electric one and not the adaptation of an existing vehicle. GML used several advanced technologies of which:

*châssis out of aluminum

*panneaux side resisting the shocks

*freins with anti-locking system

*contrôle of the motricity of the nose gear wheels

*pompe with heat instead of the air conditioning

*démarrage and lighting without key

*verre authorizing heat exchange only in one direction what allows a better insulation

*le brake makes it possible to reload the battery when the brakes are actuated

*pneus anti-puncture

*coefficient aerodynamic very weak (=0.19)

*jantes out of extra-light alloy

*pneus with low resistance

The purpose of the majority of these technologies were to improve the total effectiveness of the EV1.

The first generation of EV1 used batteries made up of acid in 1996 (for the model of the year 1997) and the second generation functioned with hybrid batteries nickel and metal in 1999. Some of the EV1' S Gen 1 were given to new and improved to function with acid batteries of Panasonic.

The models Gen 1 could traverse between 91 and 150 km with the manufactured batteries with acid Delco and in only one load of battery. Cars EV1 Gen 2 could traverse 120 to 240 km under the same conditions with the hybrid batteries nickel and Ovionic metal and 120 to 160 km with the Panasonic batteries.

A modified prototype EV1 managed to hold the speed records of the electric vehicles while moving at a speed of 295 km/h in 1994.

Experiments of the consumer

There were many obstacles to cross before acquiring a EV1. It could not be bought and only a 3 years hiring without option of renewal was possible. The meetings of control of the vehicle could not be carried out without go. Only certain dealers in California had the EV1 and a specialist in this vehicle was essential to authorize the hiring.

Before the discussion on the terms of the leasing agreement, the potential tenant was to take courses where he to him would be explained the differences between the ordinary EV1 and vehicles. He was to be then registered on a waiting list which did not mention the delivery date. After waiting from 2 to 6 months, a EV1 will have been allotted to the tenant. Then it was to install a charger at his place, which took 1 to 2 weeks.

Once these tests passed, the experiment to have such a vehicle was single and a real reward with the undergone difficulties. The EV1 had lowest resistance to the air of all the vehicles ever created. The consequences of that were that, at the speeds which one could reach on the highway, the only audible sound generally corresponded to the regular hummings created by the wheels; the engine and the movement of the wind on the body did not produce any of it. With speeds more weak, and with stop (in particular with those which are forced by the dipped headlights), one could hear no sound. The performances were excellent with a passage 0-100 km/h in an interval of 8 S. maximum speed was limited to 125 km/h even if the system of propulsion of the EV1 and its aerodynamic form theoretically authorized to reach 300 km/h. These data as of others were posted with the instrument panel in a futuristic style spanning a feature curved in top of the instrument panel.

The charger to install home had as dimensions 49.5x66.0x165.0, had an integrated heat sink and resembled a traditional pump. The system functioned entirely by induction (transmission of remote energy) and consisted in placing a blade in front of the port of the EV1. The process was simple and effective, but, because the charger was generally inside the garage, it was necessary to keep the open door of the garage to reload the batteries of the vehicle.

The short distance being able to be traversed by the machine sometimes left something to be desired. The initial versions of the EV1 which functioned with batteries with acid were judicious capacity to function on 120 km but actually, the distance which one could traverse oscillated between 70 and 95 km because the refill of the batteries took time and that the stations were only very few, the majority of the EV1 could not move away from much the house.

However, to lead the EV1 in general resembled to be projected in the future.

Cancellation

Threatened of continuations by the three principal manufacturers of cars, including GM, California Air Resources Board weakens the mandate of VZE sufficiently so that GM cancels primarily program EV1. At the limit of the concession, the cars were stored in an installation with Burbank, California. GM made gift of a small fraction of the totality of the EV1 to colleges and universities with students in engineering, like with many museums, including the Smithsonian Institution. Dated June 19th, 2006, the car was withdrawn from Smithsonian. In March 2005, stored last 78 were transferred to GM Desert Proving Grounds with Mesa, Arizona, for beings crushed, crushed and recycled.

Evworld.com pointed out that yew GM was to salt the remaining bus, they would Be subject to product liability and to their policies would require them to provide service and replacement shares for ten years. More than 100 people proposed to buy an electric car and promised to pay there more possible attention but GM refused. The spokesperson of the group, Dave Barthmus, declared:

" Even if the potential buyers would promise Na not to continue GM in justice for reasons reliability on the level of the design or production, in the litigious company of today, sincerity does not exist pas."

GM affirmed that the adventure of the electric car was not a failure and that the EV1 was intended for the destruction because the technological advances awaited on the level of the batteries never materialized. There were many economic reasons and additional practices which explain the cancellation of project EV1.

Explanations of an employee of GM:

" General motors lost 2 billion dollars in the project, and each produced EV1. The hirings did not even cover the costs pulled by this service.

the operating range announced of 205 km was actually more reduced. None the models managed to traverse this distance with normal conditions of control. By activating the air conditioning one reduced it. To even light the headlights reduced this distance from 10%.

the NiMH batteries which had asked for 3 years of research destroyed after 6 months of use. It was possible no to protect them from overheating and the only recourse was to double the size of the pack of battery. The batteries with acid were higher than NiMH in the case of a quotidienne." use;

He also spoke about the lack of stations of fast refill, about the high invoices of electricity and the problems of reliability and maintenance.

The unsuited choices of marketing and the artificially stimulated offer led some to think of the beginning of the operation which it was going to fail and thus prove that the electric vehicles in general do not have any future. One also pointed out the insistence of GM to take again all the EV1 in the goal to destroy them rather than to try to resell them at the end of the program and the bonds between GM and oil industry. Later, certain employees of GM showed as proof of long lines of waitings which were not supplemented.

The turning of documentary on the abandonment of the EV1 and other electric vehicles heading Who Killed the Electric Because? (Which killed the electric car?) on June 30th, 2006 started. Several weeks before the beginning of turning, Smithsonian Institution announced that its permanent exposure on the EV1 was being withdrawn and that the car will be stored. In spite of the fact that GM is the major financial contributor of the museum, the car manufacturer and Smithsonian Institution have both affirmed that did not contribute to withdraw the exposure.

All the EV1 were not destroyed. Some were selected and one can see them rolling mainly to Warren (in the state of Michigan) where the technological center of GM is. According to the interview of Rick Wagoner, which works in the die engines, cancellation EV1 corresponds to the principal regret which a chairman of GM can feel.

alternatives of the EV1

General Motors revealed the existence of various alternatives of the EV1 to the state of prototypes at the time of the motor-show in Detroit. There was version hybrids electric diesel/, GPL/électrique, gasoline/electricity and a vehicle functioning with an engine LPG with weak emission. [http://www.evworld.com/archives/testdrives/].

The new series was an alternative in 4 places of the EV1, increases of 48 cm. For the hybrid vehicles and electric, the pack of batteries was improved and could from now on contain 44 NiMH cells laid out in " I" and could be reloaded in only 2 hours by using the charger 220V arranged in the vehicle. Additional storage units could be installed in the trunk and were complementary to the electrical motor with induction 3rd generation. This last, installed in front of the vehicle, could deliver a power of 137 CV. The modifications of the hybrids made it possible the vehicle to traverse 64.4km. This one was occupied of a system of, propulsion ZEV.

EV1 functioning with the LPG

Alternative LPG was the only one not to use electrical energy, even if it had the same platform. It was entirely an engine Suzuki 1.0L conceived out of aluminum and accompanied by a turbo I3 placed under the cap. Thanks to number octane very high of LPG (which one supposes that it could be even more compressed), this small engine delivered 72CV with tr/min.

The batteries were replaced by two tanks which could withstand a pressure of 300psi. The latter could be supplied by a traditional pump LPG with only 4 minutes. The soléïdes inside the tanks can cut the driving circuit during the supply and when the engine is inactive, and a device which lowers the pressure in the cases of excessive temperature or pressure. Thanks to its progressive transmission, the car passed from 0 to 100km/h in 11s. The maximum operating range varied from 550 to 630 km and the saving in oil was of 2.4 L/100km.

Hybrid EV1

The hybrid prototypes had an engine equipped with a gas turbine of the APU type placed in the trunk. A gas turbine at a time and a generator AC high efficiencies were provided by Williams International. It weighed 99.8 kg, was 50.8 cm long on a diameter of 55.9 cm and turned at 2.4 to 3.9 L/100km. The turbine could function with various fuels like the gazoil or the LPG. The APU started automatically when the level of load of the batteries passed under the bar of the 40% and delivered 40kW electric output, sufficiently to reach the 128.8km/h and to go up the level of load of the NiMH batteries to 50%.

The gasoline tank could contain 24.6 L which made it possible the vehicle to traverse in hybrid mode more than 630 km with a saving in gasoline from 3.9 to 2.4 L/100km according to adopted control. The car passed from 0 to 100 km/h into 9 S.

double Hybrids

This hybrid alternative contained an engine Isuzu TDI 1.3 L of a power of 75CV, installed in the trunk with a engine-generator cd. 6.5CV, the two engines controlled the aft wheels by the means of a driveshaft controlled by an electronic device. When combined with an engine with induction AC which involved the nose gear wheels, the three engines delivered a total power of 219CV and made pass the vehicle from 0 to 100 km/h in 7s. Into only one full, the car could traverse 868 km with a saving in gasoline of 3.1 L/100km.

A similar technology is used in the concept 2005 diesel Opel Astra hybrid

EV1 functioning with a combustible battery

This alternative with very electric propulsion functioned thanks to batteries with methanol also installed in the trunk. This alternative prolonged the capacities of very electric propulsion with a system of combustible battery supplied with methanol (developed by Daimler-Benz/Ballard for the Mercedes-Benz NECAR), once again installed in the trunk. The system consisted of a fuel converter, a compressing expandor/and the assembly of combustible batteries for the food. The maximum operating range was approximately 480 km with a saving in fuel of 3.1 L/100km. The car passed from 0 to 100 km/h into 9 S.

Personal accounts & news stories

Ev-1 Evolution by Frank Jamerson, Senor Research Manager for GM: EV-1 Timeline
2005.09 http://www.byuracecar.com/about.html

2004.01 http://www.evworld.com/view.cfm?section=article&storyid=622 - Eulogy for the EV 1
2003.03 http://www.evworld.com/archives/interviews2/ghansen2.html - CARB ZEV Elects
2001-2003 http://www.electrifyingtimes.com/ev1crush.html
2002.09 http://www.cleanup-gm.com/ev1.html
1996.05 http://saccityweb.com/seva/evupdate/1996/evup0596.html - SEVA EVUpdate Newsletter
http://www.kirschfdn.org/done/enviro_articles_archived.html
GM employed surprised how drives smooth EV1, Bruce Evangel Parmenter
Because & Driver' S Bedard Got It Wrong, Darell Dickey
My first step into the electric because wars, Bruce Evangel Parmenter
Eee Vee One Fun, David Dymaxion
BEV' S Story, Bruce Evangel Parmenter
My day with the GM EV1 - Road Joy, By Brad
Living in the Past, Getting Beat by the Future, John Wayland
last rental GM EV1 available until end off Sep, Chris Yoder
Phil Karn' S EV1 webpages Phil' S first EV1 is now one display At the Smithsonian Museum off American History
Emissions-free bus one trial, The Boston Earth
Archived version off the GMEV website.
Who Killed the Electric Because has News feature one PBS' NOW show. Does Also, development have timeline one Electric vehicle
Which killed the electric car? is a documentary film on the organized disappearance of the EV1 of General Motor.
Down The Memory Hole - Sploid article discussing year alleged conspiracy over the EV1' S removal from the market.
EV-1 At the Smithsonian - Interestingly, this shorts lived exhibit was removed 6/15/06 just before the independent release off (by Sony Pictures Classics) " Who Killed the Electric Because? " Two weeks later, the Smithsonian denied any link between the movie and the exhibit' S removal.

GM Responds to the film " Who Killed the Electric Car"

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