Revenge of the Electric Car

[dsm363]

Just finished watching it. I thought it was well done. Would love to see a web update that comes out after the Model S is officially in production but I doubt they are still filming anything.
I feel sorry for the guy who lost his EV conversion shop but did he really not have any insurance at all on his business?

 

[TEG]

I plan on putting it on my family room TV with a particular scene on a 45 second loop!

And spin the mug while you are at it!

 

[mpt]

I feel sorry for the guy who lost his EV conversion shop but did he really not have any insurance at all on his business?

I spoke to Greg Abbot and his wife in NYC, apparently the fire was one of the best things that happened to them, gave them the jolt to rebuild anew and rebuild better. That was until the new space turned out to be contaminated and the landlord wouldn't let them get out of the lease. Apparently that got really ugly.

 

[DrTaras]

And spin the mug while you are at it!

 

[hcsharp]

I spoke to Greg Abbot and his wife in NYC, apparently the fire was one of the best things that happened to them, gave them the jolt to rebuild anew and rebuild better. ...

That's what I call a good attitude.

I saw the movie in Concord NH at the Red River Theater - really nice place. They parked my car on the sidewalk in front of the theater and let me into the show for free. I was disappointed that it wasn't closed captioned. Enjoyed it anyway.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

I'm glad Netflix has it! I wanted to see it in a theater but 200 miles it a little far to drive for a movie w/ no ev. I thought the movie was pretty good. I am still puzzled at how GM lost money in the EV1. I have never heard a single person that owned one say anything bad about it. Did it cost GM way more to make it compared to what they leased it for or what? They didn't exactly make enough to get to an EOS level for their cost to drop or was the demand really that low?

 

[ChadS]

Yes, it cost GM more than they were leasing it for. Of course, as you note, they were only making very limited quantities, largely by hand. Nobody knows what the costs would have been if they had tried to make it less expensive, and if there would have been enough demand at the resulting price.

But we do know there was more than enough demand at the price they were charging! They had long waiting lists. This despite many dealers trying to talk customers out of buying one.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

So GM has/had a large stake in oil companies or someone paid a lot of money to drop the EV and not try to make it work (or make it look like it wouldn't)?

oh, or, or , they realized that they were not going to kill people with repair costs and maintenance. So byebye

 

[raymond]

I plan on putting it on my family room TV with a particular scene on a 45 second loop!

I just watched it and found it especially nice to recognize so many names. So now I know who that dumb doctor is. ;-)

 

[ChadS]

So GM has/had a large stake in oil companies or someone paid a lot of money to drop the EV and not try to make it work (or make it look like it wouldn't)?

That's certainly possible; but I've not seen any convincing evidence for it, and I don't think that's likely to have been the largest influence.

oh, or, or , they realized that they were not going to kill people with repair costs and maintenance. So byebye

That's closer to my personal guess. Although I consider that pressure as mostly coming from the dealers, rather than GM corporate. I don't think there was a big conspiracy among dealers; but if you are used to selling gas cars (and make most of your money servicing them), and suddenly you have a low-volume, low-margin car that requires much less service, but requires more effort to learn about and market...would you bother pushing it, or focus on selling the gas cars you already have instead? I think any gas car company is going to have problems getting their dealers to be good advocates for plug-ins. I have called some dealers myself offering help in getting them up to speed on plug-ins, and have noticed a distinct lack of interest in taking time to learn something new about a limited-release vehicle. Several told me directly it made more financial sense for them to focus on their gas cars, so that's what they were going to do. It's got to be hard for any company to gamble the huge up-front investment to make a quantity of less-expensive product when you don't think your sales team will push it.

The next plug-in to become available was from Tesla--who used stores, not dealers, so they were not subject to this issue. When GM tried again, they created a plug-in hybrid, which can be driven and serviced just like a gas vehicle, getting around much of this issue. Nissan changed the model by selling the cars online, and having the dealers just be a delivery point--again, getting around much of this issue.

 

[efusco]

My DVD of the movie arrived today and I watched it, with my wife, tonight. As someone with a keen interest in the subject matter and 'stars' of the movie I found it interesting and well made. If I didn't have that keen interest, however, I think I would have found it informative but boring. There was little tension, like in "Who Killed the Electric Car". It didn't really conclude--some optimism about the Leaf & Volt being on the road and Tesla opening the Model S plant. But all in all I'm not sure what the goal was or how I'm supposed to feel about EVs (at least the movie didn't lead me in one direction or another).

I think this is a holding place for the next segment in, maybe 5 years..."Victory of the Electric Car".

 

[vfx]

... I am still puzzled at how GM lost money in the EV1. I have never heard a single person that owned one say anything bad about it. Did it cost GM way more to make it compared to what they leased it for or what? They didn't exactly make enough to get to an EOS level for their cost to drop or was the demand really that low?

Did you see "Who Killed the Electric Car?" It directly covers the EV1 death. Interestingly they give several reasons why the car was killed naming "suspects" without pointing fingers at any one. Viewers come out believing one reason or another -what ever they believed the most.

 

[GSP]

Did you see "Who Killed the Electric Car?" It directly covers the EV1 death. Interestingly they give several reasons why the car was killed naming "suspects" without pointing fingers at any one. Viewers come out believing one reason or another -what ever they believed the most.

Actually WKTEC proclaimed all of the suspects guilty, except for the batteries. I agree, and would add CARB as the ringleader. I would give the batteries a guilty verdict as well, but I understand and respect the reasons they were exonerated.

GSP

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

Did you see "Who Killed the Electric Car?" It directly covers the EV1 death. Interestingly they give several reasons why the car was killed naming "suspects" without pointing fingers at any one. Viewers come out believing one reason or another -what ever they believed the most.

Oh yeah, I forgot, it was Bush that killed it.
Most problems come down to politics and money right? the two evils of the world (maybe 3 if you include mass oil consumption)

 

[DrTaras]

So now I know who that dumb doctor is. ;-)

Hey, hey... I resemble that remark! O

 

[efusco]

Revenge is on Hulu x 1 week:
Hulu - Revenge of the Electric Car - Watch the full movie now.


---
I am here: Google Maps
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[doug]

Rewatching part of it now on Hulu. Nice to see we at least got in indirect name check (though from a not so happy time).

(00:56:49/01:29:48)

 

[Doug_G]

Hey, hey... I resemble that remark! O

Great meeting you today, and yes, the resemblance is uncanny. :biggrin: :tongue:

 

[DrTaras]

Oh yeah, I forgot, it was Bush that killed it.

Oh ya... I forgot (sic) that it was the Bush admin that approved the Tesla loan guarantee! Selective animus? :cursing:

 

[DrTaras]

Great meeting you today

What happens when a guy with too much TESLAsterone leaves LA & seeks out other TESLAficionados in Ottawa where there are only 4 Roadsters?
DrT (2nd from the left & all bundled up as if cold was going to kill him) and Doug_G (1st on the right) meet up at an Ottawa icon, BeaverTails!
Great meeting you Doug & thanx for the great Canadian hospitality!