Who DID Kill the Electric Car?

.. and how many licks DOES it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

The future of the automobile is not coming; the future was already here. Although much of the blame of the demise of the EV1 Program can be placed on General Motors for creating then cremating the EV1, the creation and destruction of the Electric Car Program would not have been possible without the help of the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The Zero Emission Vehicle mandate allowed CARB to force the hand of automakers to create a clean car, if the car companies wanted to continue selling cars in California. When the auto manufacturers cried to CARB that they were not able to meet the goals of the program, CARB caved in, and effectively eliminated all forward progress that the electric car movement had accomplished.

“The Car Doctor” normally says that car dealers do not make much money on the sale of the car. Where they do make their money is in the repair shop. The internal combustion engine, despite how far it has gotten us, is terribly flawed. Parts are bound to break on a piece of machinery that has tiny explosions going on inside of it. Why make a car that you would have to maintain less, if that seriously cut into your main line of profits?

Many factors had to align correctly for the Electric Car Program to succeed, but many other factors aligned to squash the program, and any trace that it even existed. It is really sad that some quality of life boards that are supposed to look out for the public’s rights, backed down form their stance when pleaded with by automakers (albeit using exaggerated negative documentation and muffling public support).