Who killed the electric car (old theread)

I finally found a copy of "who killed the electric car" and watched it.

Sad about how many folks loved their EV-1s and were totally shut out by GM
when they tried to renew their leases.

Even More sad about the claim how oil is a dwindling resource so let's keep
using it so that as reserves get scarce, they can charge more for it.

Was very disillusioned hearing how Hydrogen power is just another case of
smoke and mirrors - costing more than gasoline, having less travel range and
very limited refueling options.

I should watch it again with a double scotch in hand to make it a bit less
painful.



google for "who killed the electric car" torrent (you need the bittorrent
peer to peer client) www.bittorrent.com
http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/3554109/Who.Killed.The.Electric.Car.LiMiTED.DVDRip.XviD-LMG

 

I found it a compelling arguement towards why the backward thinking
shortsightness and greed of gm should not be allowed to continue.
wagoner himself has said killing the ev1 was the worst decision he
made at gm; yet he has made no effort to rectify that or learn from
that mistake. I was pleased that washington showed him the door.

 

Oppie, you will be happy to know that one of the main charachters, Chelsea
Sexton remains on at GM in the Alternative Vehicles dept. You will also
notice that it's not just GM nowadays, Honda's newly "lease-only" hydrogen
car is folowwing down the same path, only available for lease for a year,
only in Hollywood, CA and most likely will be crushed afterwards.
The Song Remains the Same......

Ford refuses to import fuel-efficient cars here, has for decades. We never
got the REAL focus or Festiva which averaged 40mpg or more. Ditto with other
car mfg., USA with its strict bylaws says no import. I guees that here in
the US of A all of these small cars have to withstand accidents with our
ever so popular lard-assed multi-tarded SUV drivers.

Nobody , NOBODY held a gun to us fatasses and said "you will drive a
school-bus sized baby killing SUVs". Nope, it's our Texas mentality. Bigger
is Better. Americans LOVE driving in 8 to 10 passeger SUVs, (even if there
is only three in the family) so the companies made them. Now we pay and the
Micheal Moores of the world cry foul. Bullshit. I can honestly tell you all
about it, I see it every day, people are fatasses and want fatass lazy 12
cupholder DVD in the front SUVs, except NOW they want 40mpg as well, LOL.

btw - I found the extras on that DVD even more interesting.

 

thanks for that Marx.
On your recommendation, I googled for "who killed the electric car" iso
for the entire DVD rip in ISO format (4.3Gig). Isn't broadband great?
http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/3585899/Who.Killed.The.Electric.Car.LiMiTED.NTSC.DVDR-LMG
Then you need not only bittorrent to download but something like Nero to
burn the disc image to a DVD. Either that or an iso virtual disc program
that will play directly from the disc image.

 

<snip>

But marx, dontcha know that ain't OUR fault -- it's the fault of the Big 3 and their advertising partners that
brainwashed us poor simpleton consumer victims into buying SUVs that we didn't REALLY want or need!
Actually, I don't know why I included the smiley -- the currency the "consumers as victims" argument has is
actually too frightening for levity....

 

quote "the currency the "consumers as victims" argument has is actually too
frightening for levity...."

yea- and Sarah Palin is the head of the Mensa Society.....c'mon, next thing
you know fatasses will sue McDonalds for making them fat...oh, wait a
minute....

 

My fault, no doubt, but I'm not getting the relationship between my reply (the quote) and your response. Can you
please explain? Thanks! (Actually, I'm hoping you've misread my reply. <grin>)

 

ok, maybe I mis-read your post, my bad pun then...lemme 'splain...

I understood what you said to mean: that the "consumers are victims"
argument lacks of seriousness. (after all that's what levity means).

I meant that argument has as much "levity" as to say that Sarah Palin is the
head of the Mensa Society (a group for above average geniuses). I further
elaborated upon the sentiment of "the customers are victims" to the likeness
of a few years ago when a bunch of obese Californians sued McDonald's for
"making them fat". So much for the media saying that GM "forced " customers
to buy gas-guzzling unsafe SUV's.

In plain english: Consumers were never "forced" to buy these vehicles and
saying so is a joke.

 

Got a chance to watch the extras. You're right. Especially liked the bit on
who killed the electric streetcars.
GM conspired to buy up all the electric streetcar lines and replace them
with GM busses running on Goodyear tires and powered by petroleum.

My cousin, who lives in LA added this:
===
Yep, first the old Pacific Electric Railway here in Los Angeles was
scrapped, and then GM canned their EV-1. Of course, the auto makers all
claim the electric car is just on its way to America - the Chevy Volt that
never seems to be released just yet and the Tesla that looks great and
runs....50 miles on a charge, I think. Big help that is, in trying to get
to my rental property 180 miles away (and that is the "nearby" one).

The Pacific Electric railways were torn out and most of the neighboring
property owners grabbed the land back so that it is now impossible to run
any mass transit system along them (such as bus ways, new electric trolleys,
or monorails). Typical Los Angeles short-sightedness.
===

As an engineer myself and having a conscience; in any project undertaking, I
have to ask myself whether the project is simply in the best interests of my
company or the greater good. Would be nice if big business thought that way
also.

Interesting idea that I had was to make the Hybrid vehicle more modular.
Make the basic vehicle a battery powered electric. This gives you a base
mileage. If you need a longer range, offer an add-on generator on a trailer.
An engine turning a generator at constant speed is much easier to optimize
for emissions and power output. Output voltage could be controlled by means
of varying the generator field current.

** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

 

Ah, I see. No, my intended point (perhaps clumsily made) was that the argument that consumers were in someway
"forced" to buy the gas-guzzlers seems to have such broad acceptance that it is too scary to belittle with a mere smiley
(the smiley denoting levity).

We agree.
By the way, on Gov Palin: she was smart enough to get herself elected mayor of her town, governor of her state,
where she reportedly maintains a favorable rating in the 70s and got herself noticed by the people involved in selecting
the vice presidential nominee of the country's second largest political party. I think I'm fairly smart (albeit far from
MENSA material) but I know I'm not smart enough to accomplish all that she has!

 

Actually...


....If you look back, the PE red cars were losing money big time. They were
on life-support from the '20s and by the '30s were simply existing (similar
to Amtrak) on government funds.

No one was crying when they went.

 

The Tesla Roadster will go 244 miles on a charge.

http://www.teslamotors.com

By contrast the Chevy Volt will only go 40 miles on a charge - how lame
is that! If that is enough for someone to get to work and back, they
wouldn't be able to run any errands. GM hasn't really changed since the
days of the EV-1.

Aptera makes an electric version of their commuter car, the 2e, that I
think is incredible. They once published the estimated range of the all
electric version, which I believe was around 200 miles, but I can't find
that information on their new web site.

http://www.aptera.com

Gyz

oppie wrote:
[snip]