EV1 Smile
That’s what we experienced. Those of us who were fortunate enough to work on the amazing GM EV1 program walked away with a smile similar to those who had the opportunity to experience the car that was a "blast to drive." And that smile still exists on many of those GM faces 11+ years after the vehicle was launched.
Here’s a few of the things the GM Advanced Technology Vehicle team came away with:
- This was a great program on which to work! There was a lot of natural momentum because the team knew they were on an “iconic” program. The team’s attitude, work ethic and team spirit were outstanding. These were extremely dedicated and talented individuals who had a purpose and a mission…to build a great, modern-day electric vehicle.
- The technical innovation on the EV1 -- the first-ever GM-badged vehicle -- was awesome! At the time it was clearly the most efficient vehicle in the world. It held 23 patents. It had one-of-a-kind styling and performance that led anyone who drove the vehicle to exit with the knowing “EV1 smile.” And, the EV1 became the worldwide benchmark for electric vehicles. It is the vehicle by which all modern-day EVs are compared …and none of them have yet come close.
Timing is everything. When GM launched the EV1, gas was cheap, there wasn’t a war in Iraq, we still had the World Trade Center and there was no fixation on global warming. There were far fewer reasons for people to make the tradeoffs in their transportation lifestyle to make the EV1 work for them.
- Nonetheless, the EV1 customers were a very loyal group. They loved the new technology and the performance (0-60 in <9 seconds). Many of them supported their decision to lease a relatively expensive but bare-bones vehicle, in terms of creature comforts, because they were being environmental stewards. But, sadly, there were too few of them to support continuation of the program.
While leases of the EV1 were very limited, many of those involved in the program consider it to be a tremendous success. GM’s image was enhanced. The public’s perception of GM as an innovator was tremendously improved. And, it was an excellent representation of GM’s environmental advocacy.
To paraphrase a colleague: Who killed the electric car? No one. Although the EV1 program ended, both the technology and the GM team who developed it continued. The EV1 is alive and well in GM’s next generation of low emission and zero emission vehicles -- the Saturn VUE Green Line hybrid, the Chevy Tahoe hybrid, GM hybrid buses, the Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (currently being market tested in NY, CA and DC) as well as the E-Flex program, are real proof that learnings from the EV1 have been applied.
More than a car, the EV1 was the beginning of a movement. And GM is leading the way. The EV1 ignited our mission to reinvent the automobile in the 21st century. And the team that worked on this program is very proud of it.
Many of us consider the EV1 program the highlight of our careers. We were a team. We worked hard together to develop a game-changing automotive technology that was truly inspiring. We didn’t always agree on everything, but we respected and trusted each other. To this day, I still get calls from EV1 colleagues just to check in or say hi, and I continue to socialize with many of them. I value their expertise and their friendships. Being a part of the EV1 program was a most unique and enjoyable experience!
To close, I’d like to add a comment from a long-time EV1 teammate and friend, whom I asked to review and edit. She sums it up quite well: "It really is amazing what a life-changing program that was for all of us. With all the different emotions at the end of the program, each person has to admit that our time together (and with the car!) added so many positive experiences and memories to our lives. The learning experiences didn't stop at technological ... it was so relational. It really is exciting to see what the future holds for the lessons learned from the EV1… It was like the first generation of the future of cars ... that's a big deal."
Thanks for the memories! Jill Banaszynski