"Who Killed the Electric Car?" ... another doc for our summer viewing!

The previews for this before "An Inconvenient Truth" looked great, as is the early buzz. It takes on big oil, the auto biz and BushCo. It opens tomorrow in New York and LA, and starts spreading nationally next week. The website is great:

http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledtheelectriccar/electric.html

It was among the fastest, most efficient production cars ever built. It ran on electricity, produced no emissions and catapulted American technology to the forefront of the automotive industry. The lucky few who drove it never wanted to give it up. So why did General Motors crush its fleet of EV1 electric vehicles in the Arizona desert?

WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? chronicles the life and mysterious death of the GM EV1, examining its cultural and economic ripple effects and how they reverberated through the halls of government and big business.

The year is 1990. California is in a pollution crisis. Smog threatens public health. Desperate for a solution, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) targets the source of its problem: auto exhaust. Inspired by a recent announcement from General Motors about an electric vehicle prototype, the Zero Emissions Mandate (ZEV) is born. It required 2% of new vehicles sold in California to be emission-free by 1998, 10% by 2003. It is the most radical smog-fighting mandate since the catalytic converter.

With a jump on the competition thanks to its speed-record-breaking electric concept car, GM launches its EV1 electric vehicle in 1996. It was a revolutionary modern car, requiring no gas, no oil changes, no mufflers, and rare brake maintenance (a billion-dollar industry unto itself). A typical maintenance checkup for the EV1 consisted of replenishing the windshield washer fluid and a tire rotation. But the fanfare surrounding the EV1's launch disappeared and the cars followed. Was it lack of consumer demand as carmakers claimed, or were other persuasive forces at work?

Fast forward to 6 years later... The fleet is gone. EV charging stations dot the California landscape like tombstones, collecting dust and spider webs. How could this happen? Did anyone bother to examine the evidence? Yes, in fact, someone did. And it was murder.

The electric car threatened the status quo. The truth behind its demise resembles the climactic outcome of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express: multiple suspects, each taking their turn with the knife. WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? interviews and investigates automakers, legislators, engineers, consumers and car enthusiasts from Los Angeles to Detroit, to work through motives and alibis, and to piece the complex puzzle together.

WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? is not just about the EV1. It's about how this allegory for failure—reflected in today's oil prices and air quality—can also be a shining symbol of society's potential to better itself and the world around it. While there's plenty of outrage for lost time, there's also time for renewal as technology is reborn in WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR?

--© Sony Pictures Classics

The film maker did do a good interview on PBS Now a few weeks ago.

had they made more the cost would have gone down..

Also at the current price of electricity the cost of driving was like (per the trailer) 60 cent per gallon gasoline...

I think even if they built 200,000 units, the EV would have been a lot more expensive in purchase price than a comparable mid sized car. I don't know how that would work out for total operating costs, though.

My vehicle costs about 15 cents/mile in fuel costs at $3/gallon for gasoline. I could see the EV-1 electricity charging costs costing a fifth of that, or 3 cents per mile.

Electricity costs for electrified bicycles are about 1 cent for 10 miles, from what I have read on message boards (purely from recall, let the buyer beware).

There are a whole bunch of impractical, 2 seat convertable sports cars out there. No one blinks twice when yet another is introduced. Why does no one think that there would NOT be a market for an electric car in this price range? The leather and wood interior stuff is cheap compared to the rest. I guess we are supposed to only lust after performance in terms of 0-60 times, not in the satisfaction of not using gas or getting here and there cheaply. Or in driving a dead quiet car. :eyes:

....the masses are brainwashed well into not paying attention to anything that REALLY matters in their lives. :eyes:

-ALABAMA-
HUNTSVILLE - MADISON SQUARE TWELVE, 8/25/06

-ALASKA-
ANCHORAGE - DIMOND CENTER 9, 8/4/06

-ARIZONA-
PHOENIX - AMC DESERT RIDGE 18, 8/4/06
TUCSON - CENTURY ELCON 20, 8/4/06

-CALIFORNIA-
BERKELEY - SHATTUCK 8, 7/7/06
BURBANK - BURBANK 16, 7/14/06
COSTA MESA - EDW SO COAST VILLAGE 3, 6/30/06
COVINA - AMC COVINA 30, 7/14/06
ENCINO - TOWN CENTER 5, 6/30/06
HOLLYWOOD - ARCLIGHT HOLLYWOOD 15, 6/28/06
HUNTINGTON BEACH - CENTURY 20, 7/14/06
MILL VALLEY - SEQUOIA TWIN, 7/7/06
MONTEREY - OSIO PLAZA THEATRE, 7/28/06
ONTARIO - ONTARIO MILLS 30, 7/14/06
ORANGE - AMC 30 AT THE BLOCK, 7/14/06
ORANGE - CENTURY STADIUM 25, 7/14/06
PALM DESERT - CINEMAS PALME D'OR, 7/14/06
PALO ALTO - AQUARIUS TWIN, 7/7/06
PASADENA - LAEMMLE'S PLAYHOUSE 7, 6/30/06
PLEASANT HILL - CENTURY FIVE, 7/7/06
ROLLING HILLS ESTATES - THE AVENUES 13, 7/14/06
SACRAMENTO - TOWER ANGELIKA FILM CTR. 3, 7/28/06
SAN DIEGO - HILLCREST CINEMA FIVE, 7/14/06
SAN FRANCISCO - EMBARCADERO CENTER CIN. 5, 7/7/06
SAN FRANCISCO - EMPIRE THREE CINEMAS, 7/7/06
SAN JOSE - CINEARTS AT SANTANA ROW, 7/7/06
SANTA BARBARA - PLAZA DE ORO TWIN, 7/14/06
SANTA CRUZ - NICKELODEON FOUR, 7/28/06
SANTA MONICA - NUWILSHIRE TWIN THEATRE, 6/28/06
SANTA ROSA - RIALTO LAKESIDE CINEMAS, 7/7/06
TORRANCE - ROLLING HILLS 20, 7/14/06
VENTURA - CENTURY DOWNTOWN 10, 7/14/06

-COLORADO-
BOULDER - CROSSROADS 6 CINEMAS, 7/21/06
DENVER - MAYAN THREE, 7/14/06
HIGHLANDS RANCH - AMC HIGHLANDS RANCH 24, 8/4/06
WESTMINSTER - WESTMINSTER PROMENADE 24, 8/4/06

-CONNECTICUT-
BETHEL - BETHEL CINEMA FOUR, 7/14/06
HARTFORD - CINEMA CITY FOUR, 7/14/06
NORWALK - GARDEN CINEMA, 7/14/06
STAMFORD - AVON THEATRE FILM CENTER, 7/14/06

-DELAWARE-
WILMINGTON - THEATRE N, 8/11/06

-DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-
WASHINGTON, DC - E-STREET CINEMA, 7/21/06

-FLORIDA-
BOCA RATON - SHADOWOOD SQUARE 16, 7/28/06
BONITA SPRINGS - BONITA SPRINGS 12, 8/11/06
DELRAY BEACH - DELRAY 18 CINEMA, 8/18/06
FT MYERS - BELL TOWER 20, 8/11/06
GAINESVILLE - GAINESVILLE 14, 8/18/06
JACKSONVILLE - AMC REGENCY SQUARE 24, 8/18/06
JACKSONVILLE - BEACH BLVD CINEMA 12, 8/18/06
JUPITER - JUPITER MALL 18, 8/18/06
LAKE WORTH - STAGE WEST AT THE DUNCAN THEATRE, 8/10/06
MIAMI BEACH - SOUTH BEACH 18, 7/28/06
TALLAHASSEE - MIRACLE FIVE, 8/11/06
VERO BEACH - AMC INDIAN RIVER 24, 8/18/06
WINTER PARK - WINTER PARK VILLAGE 20, 8/11/06

-GEORGIA-
ALPHARETTA - AMC MANSELL CROSSING 14, 8/11/06
ATLANTA - UA TARA CINEMA 4, 7/28/06

-ILLINOIS-
CHICAGO - LOEWS PIPERS ALLEY 4, 7/7/06
CHICAGO - LOEWS ESQUIRE 6, 7/21/06
CHICAGO - RIVER EAST 21, 7/21/06
EVANSTON - CINEARTS 6, 7/7/06
HIGHLAND PARK - RENAISSANCE PLACE CINEMA, 7/7/06
HOFFMAN ESTATES - BARRINGTON SQUARE SIX, 8/4/06
LOMBARD - YORKTOWN CINEMA 18, 7/21/06
SCHAUMBURG - STREETS OF WOODFIELD 20, 7/21/06
WARRENVILLE, AMC CANTERA 30, 7/21/06

-IOWA-
DES MOINES - FLEUR 4 THEATRES, 8/4/06

-INDIANA-
INDIANAPOLIS - KEYSTONE ART CINEMA, 8/4/06

-KANSAS-
OLATHE - AMC STUDIO 30, 7/28/06

-KENTUCKY-
LEXINGTON - KENTUCKY THEATRE 2, 8/18/06

-LOUISIANA-
BATON ROUGE - UA SIEGEN VILLAGE TEN, 8/11/06
NEW ORLEANS - CANAL PLACE CINEMA 4, 8/4/06

-MASSACHUSETTS-
CAMBRIDGE -KENDALL SQUARE CINEMA 9, 7/7/06
DANVERS - LOEWS LIBERTY TREE MALL 20, 7/21/06
FRAMINGHAM - FRAMINGHAM 14, 7/21/06
NORTH FALMOUTH -NICKELODEON 5, 7/28/06
WALTHAM - EMBASSY CINEMA 6, 7/7/06

-MARYLAND-
BETHESDA - BETHESDA ROW CINEMA, 7/21/06
GAITHERSBURG - RIO 14 THEATRE, 8/4/06

-MICHIGAN-
AUBURN HILLS - STAR GREAT LAKES X-ING 25, 7/28/06
LIVONIA - AMC LAUREL PARK PLACE 10, 7/28/06
MAIN ART THEATRE 3 - ROYAL OAK, 7/7/06
STERLING HEIGHTS - AMC FORUM 30, 7/28/06

-MINNESOTA-
MINNEAPOLIS - LAGOON THEATRE 5, 7/14/06

-MISSOURI-
ST LOUIS - TIVOLI THEATRE 3, 7/28/06

-NEBRASKA-
OMAHA - AMC OAKVIEW 24, 8/11/06

-NEW JERSEY-
BELLE MEADE - MONTGOMERY CINEMAS 6, 7/14/06
HAMILTON - AMC HAMILTON 24, 8/11/06
MONTCLAIR - CLAIRIDGE SIXPLEX, 7/14/06
PRINCETON - GARDEN TWIN THEATRE, 7/14/06
RED BANK - RED BANK ARTS CINEMA, 7/14/06
VOORHEES - RITZ SIXTEEN, 7/21/06

-NEW MEXICO-
ALBUQUERQUE - CENTURY 14, 7/28/06

-NEW YORK-
ALBANY - SPECTRUM CINEMA 7, 7/28/06
BROOKLYN - BROOKLYN HEIGHTS CINEMA, 7/14/06
BUFFALO - MARKET ARCADE DIGITAL, 8/11/06
ITHACA - FALL CREEK CINEMA 3, 7/28/06
KEW GARDENS - KEW GARDENS CINEMAS LLC, 7/14/06
MALVERNE - MALVERNE CINEMA 4, 7/14/06
MANHASSET - MANHASSET TRIPLEX, 7/14/06
NEW YORK - 64TH AND 2ND (3), 6/28/06
NEW YORK - ANGELIKA FILM CENTER 6, 6/28/06
NEW YORK - LINCOLN PLAZA CINEMAS, 6/28/06
PORT CHESTER - PORT CHESTER 14, 7/14/06
ROCHESTER - LITTLE CINEMA 5, 7/28/06
WEST NYACK - LOEWS PALISADES CENTER 21, 7/14/06
WESTBURY - LOEWS ROOSEVELT RACEWAY 10, 7/14/06

-NEVADA-
LAS VEGAS - VILLAGE SQUARE 18, 7/28/06
RENO - RIVERSIDE 12, 8/4/06

-NORTH CAROLINA-
CHARLOTTE - BALLANTYNE VILLAGE THEATRE, 8/4/06
CONCORD - AMC CONCORD MILLS, 8/18/06
FAYETTEVILLE - CAMEO ART HOUSE THEATRE, 8/4/06
WILMINGTON - THALIAN HALL CENTER, 9/4/06

-OKLAHOMA-
OKLAHOMA CITY - AMC QUAIL SPRINGS 24, 8/4/06
TULSA - AMC SOUTHROADS 20, 8/11/06

-OREGON-
ASHLAND - VARSITY 5 CINEMAS, 8/11/06
BEND - PILOT BUTTE 6 PLEX, 8/11/06
CORVALLIS - DARKSIDE CINEMAS, 8/11/06
EUGENE - BIJOU ART CINEMA, 8/4/06
PORTLAND, FOX 10 THEATRE, 7/21/06

-PENNSYLVANIA-
BALA CYNWYD - BALA THEATRE 3, 8/4/06
BENSALEM - AMC NESHAMINY, 8/11/06
PHILADELPHIA - RITZ AT THE BOURSE 5, 7/21/06

-TENNESSEE-
KNOXVILLE - REGAL DOWNTOWN WEST EIGHT, 8/4/06
NASHVILLE - GREEN HILLS COMMONS 16, 7/28/06

-TEXAS-
AUSTIN - ARBOR CINEMAS @ GREAT HILLS, 7/28/06
DALLAS - THE MAGNOLIA THEATRE, 7/14/06
FRISCO - AMC STONEBRIAR 24, 8/4/06
FT WORTH - UA HULEN MALL TEN, 7/28/06
GRAPEVINE - AMC GRAPEVINE MILLS 30, 8/4/06
HOUSTON - RIVER OAKS THEATRE 3, 7/14/06
HOUSTON - AMC STUDIO 30, 8/4/06
PLANO - ANGELIKA FILM CENTER & CAFE, 7/14/06
SAN ANTONIO - FIESTA 16, 8/4/06
SAN ANTONIO - BIJOU THEATER, 8/4/06
SUGARLAND - AMC FIRST COLONY 24, 8/4/06

-VIRGINIA-
ARLINGTON - SHIRLINGTON 7 THEATRES, 7/21/06
RICHMOND - WESTHAMPTON THEATRE 2, 8/4/06

-WASHINGTON-
BELLINGHAM - SEHOME THREE CINEMAS, 8/4/06
REDMOND - REDMOND THEATRE 8, 7/28/06
SEATTLE - METRO TEN CINEMAS, 7/14/06
SEATTLE - UPTOWN THREE CINEMAS, 7/14/06
SPOKANE - RIVER PARK SQUARE 20, 8/11/06
VANCOUVER - CITY CENTER CINEMA 12, 8/4/06

-WISCONSIN-
MILWAUKEE - ORIENTAL 3, 7/21/06