GM and the ugly spectre of reduced returns....
Discussion
While customer reaction to the EV1 was positive, GM believed that electric cars occupied an unprofitable niche of the automobile
GM saw the light and panicked as far back as 20 years or so ago....
I believe that they realised just how much of destructive genie the electric vehicle was. They came back with a hybrid, anything to keep an internal combustion engine in the equation. it was a sudden realisation that this all electric drivetrain suddenly doesn't require as much maintenance and truth be told they didn't like it.
They crushed just about every one they made.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_EV1
What a damn shame and it just goes to show that the automotive industry like any other industry is only interested in profit and keeping the cogs going. Any firm that trys to maintain hybrid use or hydrogen as a fuel is only trying to keep a finger in the need for servicing etc. if they develop the electric battery set up as much as they have the IC then we will start to see electric as the fuel of today and not the future.
GM saw the light and panicked as far back as 20 years or so ago....
I believe that they realised just how much of destructive genie the electric vehicle was. They came back with a hybrid, anything to keep an internal combustion engine in the equation. it was a sudden realisation that this all electric drivetrain suddenly doesn't require as much maintenance and truth be told they didn't like it.
They crushed just about every one they made.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_EV1
What a damn shame and it just goes to show that the automotive industry like any other industry is only interested in profit and keeping the cogs going. Any firm that trys to maintain hybrid use or hydrogen as a fuel is only trying to keep a finger in the need for servicing etc. if they develop the electric battery set up as much as they have the IC then we will start to see electric as the fuel of today and not the future.
Crushing the EV1 lead directly to Teslas existence.
Once reason why the motor industry wants FCEV to 'win' is because its much like their current model.
Theres a lot of moving parts, the parts can be made by existing suppliers, it requires servicing and fueling stations etc.
A BEV is much simpler, requires a lot less servicing and will destroy a lot of traditional auto jobs in sale/service and manufacturing.
GM and the EV1 isnt quite a kodak moment but its close, time will tell.
Once reason why the motor industry wants FCEV to 'win' is because its much like their current model.
Theres a lot of moving parts, the parts can be made by existing suppliers, it requires servicing and fueling stations etc.
A BEV is much simpler, requires a lot less servicing and will destroy a lot of traditional auto jobs in sale/service and manufacturing.
GM and the EV1 isnt quite a kodak moment but its close, time will tell.
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