Smithsonian removes the EV1 exhibit

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Jun 18 2006, 05:59 PM) [snapback]273170[/snapback]</div>

And GM thought that you and the rest of the EV community would just go away quietly, right? LOL

I can't wait to see the movie. It's not scheduled for anywhere in Connecticut yet (I'm trying!!!) but I will drive up to Massachusetts if I have to, to see it as soon as I possibly can.

 

That was *Phil Karn's* car?? Had you mentioned that before and I'm
just forgetting? That's too world-shrinking for my brain.
.
_H*

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Jun 18 2006, 05:59 PM) [snapback]273170[/snapback]</div>

Some of our (older) Canadian members may recall that PM Diefebaker permanently fixed the AVRO Arrow interceptor in the same way.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Jun 18 2006, 02:59 PM) [snapback]273170[/snapback]</div>

And the Impact was a direct/indirect result of some design team sponsored by GM that won the Sunraycer race in Austrialia a couple decades back.

It was pretty big news at the time and very exciting to see a solar power car running at 70mph continuously during the day and creaming the competition. It was wait 10 years or so and we too could drive a smiliar car..

Oh how crushed dream reality is.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Jun 18 2006, 05:59 PM) [snapback]273170[/snapback]</div>

Hmmm, maybe if California hadn't jump the gun and tried to force automakers to make electric cars, then they might still be around.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(genalex @ Jun 19 2006, 01:16 AM) [snapback]273318[/snapback]</div>

Yes, and a number of years ago, even the non-functioning shell of an Arrow that was up on a pedestal on display at the former military base in Ottawa was taken down.. Hmm.. Can you say conspiracy??

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hobbit @ Jun 18 2006, 06:58 PM) [snapback]273246[/snapback]</div>

Yes, it was Phil Karn's car. I'm sure I mentioned it somewhere - but who wants to read all the garbage I post. I have a bit of info on my pages about the Smithsonian business and it being Phil's. I have also... unfortunately... learned a bit more about this Smithsonian business - and it doesn't make me very happy. Since I can't substantiate it, I'm not planning on sharing it publicly, however. Here is Phil's page on his car:
http://www.ka9q.net/ev/


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marlin @ Jun 19 2006, 05:17 AM) [snapback]273359[/snapback]</div>

You're joking, right? Leave automakers to their own devices? We wouldn't have catalytic converters, positive crankcase ventilation, seatbelts, fuel injection, multi-valve engines.... Maybe I'm being too dramatic. We would have gotten them eventually - like when the Fuel Cell cars come out. Interesting concept you propose... and if you knew the reality of how the EV1 made its way to the Saturn dealerships, I think you'd think otherwise. Without the mandate, it is pretty clear that we wouldn't have seen any production EVs on the road.

Nobody was forcing the car makers to make EVs. Just to sell something that had zero tailpipe emissions. They could have just as easily sold fuel cell vehicles that they've been working on for FAR longer than battery cars. And in fact auto makers say they WANT to build fuel cell cars. I mean that's all we hear about these days, right? How great fuel cell cars will be? So why didn't they just give us those? :thinking: Battery cars are not around today for this one *main* reason: The promise of fuel cell cars.

 

They're leaving themselves open to an invasion force of cheap, Chinese Lithium EVs. Sony ignored the threat of .mp3 for too long, now iPod is ubiquitous.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(clett @ Jul 3 2006, 07:20 AM) [snapback]280486[/snapback]</div>

Quite similar to being left behind in the hybrid market. Back when we had the initiative (can't recall the exact name - something about cars of the future) hybrids were to be the answer. Administrations and policy changed, and ALL american auto makers just shelved their hybrid programs entirely. Honda and Toyota realized that this policy would eventually come back for the US market, so instead of turning their backs on what they'd learned - they continued the research that had already cost them many millions.... and presto - we have great Toyota and Honda hybrids today. It was a matter of seeing the writing on the wall - and taking the risk. A risk that is far easier to take with a vehicle that still relies on an ICE and gasoline.

I can already hear the cries of foul when the Chinese EVs do come here. There will be all kinds of unfair reasons that the Chineses could bring these cars to market before the US. Wages, healthcare, etc. And lost in all the chaos will be that fact that the US wasn't even trying....because there was no demand - just like with hybrids.