1997 General Motors EV1

edited by David Barth, 24 February 2009.
Courtesy The Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Photos were taken in January 2009.

From the beginning of automotive history, battery-powered cars have been considered as an alternative to internal combustion engined cars. They did not last long because of the limited range offered by the batteries of the past. By the 1970s, electric cars were again under consideration because of pollution and gas prices, but once again, range was a problem.

In the 1990s, attention returned to electric cars because of progressive legislation passed by California, the larges automobile market in the U.S, that sought to reduce pollution.

While some critics viewed electric cars as glorified golf carts, the GM EV1 was definitely not a golf cart. It had very crisp acceleration, often going from 0 to 30 mph in less than 3 seconds. Although the onboard computer limited the top speed to 80 miles per hour, in 1994 an early version of the EV1 set a speed record for electric vehicles by reaching 184 miles per hour at a track in Texas.

Recharging was accomplished using a special plastic-coated paddle that slid into the slot at the front of the car. At the driver’s home, a special 220 volt charging station was installed at a cost ranging from $1,000 to $2,500. The EV1 could be fully charged in three hours.

Charging stations were also set up in California and Arizona at municipal buildings and some shopping centers. In the event that a charging station was not available, another charger in the trunk of the EV1 allowed the driver to plug into a regular 110 volt outlet. Charging by this method required 15 hours.

All EV1 cars were leased. None were sold by General Motors (GM). Around 2005, GM called in all of the leases. All of the EV1 cars were crushed and recycled with the exception of two known at the time of this writing: this light blue EV1 and a red EV1 in the Peterson Transportation Museum in Los Angeles, California, USA, also presented in these web pages.

Model: EV1
Body Type: Two-door sedan
Motor: Three-phase AC Induction
Horsepower: 137 at 7,000 rpm
Drivetrain: Transverse-mounted, front-wheel drive
Battery: 26 Delco valve-regulated, deep-cycle lead-acid battery modules
Maximum vehicle weight: 2,970 lbs.
Top Speed: 80 mph (electronically limited by onboard computer)
Acceleration: 0 to 60 mph in under 8.5 seconds
Customer Range: 79 miles
Charge Time: 3 hours using 220 volt charger; 15 hours using 110 volt charger
Vehicle Cost: $33,995 (However, the EV1 was only available through a lease from GM)
Manufacturer: General Motors
Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA

On loan from the Cleveland Institute of Art since 2002