"Who Killed the Electric Car?" - Documentary Film

Monday, November 30, 2009

The Toyota Prius has revolutionized the automotive world in 2001 by being the first mass produced hybrid car and sold over 1 million since. For your information, a hybrid car is a car that uses two or more sources of energy, usually electric and petrol, but can be used with hydrogen, natural gas, solar power, etc. Although it has known a slow start, it is now becoming a trendy yet vital step forward in our industrialized societies, especially with the rising concerns about climate change.

The Prius, thus a commercial success, still uses gas. I can't help wandering how in 2001 a hybrid car consuming gas is considered as an innovation while back in the mid 90's, fully working electric cars were working perfectly?

Well, the answer relies in the documentary below, Who killed the electric car?. This documentary was produced in 2006 and explains in details how the powerful petrol and automotive lobbies, along with the US government, put a full stop to the commercialization of the General Motors EV1 car (picture above). I'll let you judge by yourselves. Enjoy this 1,5h documentary film (divided in 10 episodes).