The Car That Could:: The Inside Story of GM's Revolutionary Electric Vehicle

by Michael Shnayerson

Unprecedented secrecy surrounded the early development of General Motors's Impact. Shnayerson watched the story unfold from a position of access never granted a reporter before--literally from the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 067942105X
• ISBN13: 9780679421054
• Release Date: August 1996
• Publisher: Random House (NY)
• Length: 295 Pages
• Weight: 1.27 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

The real story of GM's EV1 (as opposed to the film Who Killed The Electric Car?)

The book "The Car That Could" tells the story of GM's EV1 much better than the film "Who Killed the Electric Car?". The book tells the story of the EV1's birth. That is of course a more hopeful story than the EV1's death, which the film covers. And that fact alone makes a big difference in the impact of the story that is told. But there is another difference. "The Car That Could" tells the inside story of how the EV1 came to be. People within GM make a huge effort to give birth to the car. This was no sham attempt to live up to the California Air Resources Board mandate to put electric cars on the road. GM clearly had its technical and marketing people do their best work. And they did build a great little car, a car that could. As we know now, though, GM's EV1 did not live very long. The passion of those who put their money down to lease the cars could not make up for the fact that they were few in number. When the California Air Resources Board's mandate went away, that spelled doom for the EV1. No new EV1s were made. Those that had been made were crushed. A sad end for the car that could. But though the film "Who Killed the Electric Car" implies that GM killed the EV1, the reasons for its death were more complex than that. And the real story of its death has not, I think, been told. Certainly not as well, and with so much insight, as the story of its birth. But the story of the electric car has not ended. And there may be some hope for a happy ending. Recently GM's CEO Rick Wagoner has said that he regrets the decision to kill the EV1. And GM promises to come out soon with a new series hybrid electric car. That may put GM back into competition with Toyota and Honda, and their parallel hybrid cars. If so, maybe we will see another, more successful version of a GM car that could. Michael Shnayerson did a great job researching and writing about the birth of the EV1. Many of the insights written into the book will help those thinking about electric cars today. So in my mind, "The Car That Could" should be required reading for anyone who wants to participate in the electric vehicle industry. Copies are hard to find now. But if you are interested in electric cars, find a copy and read it. "The Car That Could" makes the must-read list; "Who Killed the Electric Car?" does not.

Now the rest of the story. . .

Michael Schnayerson's chronicle of the building of this car is more important in pre-war 2003 than ever before. The designers, engineers and builders are real heros,producing real solutions when we need them most. Their story should be told everywhere.I've driven the EV1 for the past five years and I'm here to say that it worked. Michael, if you're out there, consider writing the sequel. The story continues with global consequences...

Gen II NiMH EV1 can do 150+ miles/charge 0-60mph in 8 sec.

...Reading this book is allthe more interesting whe you realize how well the Gen II EV1with improved batteries works. An impressive work by GM and Michael Schnayerson in covering it so well.Unfortunately, the initial Delco/Delphi batteries in the first generation EV1 underdelivered and weren't very reliable.The Gen II EV1 changed all that once they got decent batteries. The new High-capacity lead-acid battery pack is 55 to 95 miles per charge by GM specification. Some drivers achieve over 100 miles on these daramatically improved lead acid batteries. ...Thanks for your time!m.t.thompson@ieee.org

The best informative book I've ever read.

This book was one of the best informational books I've ever read. Usually, I'm interested in novels with tons of action, however, I had to do a thesis for school, which ended up being on New Methods of Non-Pollutant Transportation. I assumed that this book, like most informational books would be extremely boring. However, having read it, it seems so much like a novel, with a plot, protagonists, antagonists, etc. It's very much like a novel. I've never read anything like this before, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a great success story.

Excellent insights in corporate and technical birth of EV1

An excellent in depth and behind closed doors documentary and profile of the corporate and technical birth of the GM EV1. The technical hurdles solved in the development of this electric vehicle pale in comparison to the public and closed door negotioations surrounding this vehicle. GM in a struggle with profitability maintains the commitment to take this vehicle from a one off prototype fueled by the inspirational GM SunRaycer solar vehicle to a production car. Issues of manufacturability, customer comfort and corporate funding all have to come together to make a production car. It's a roller coaster ride of corporate divisions, executives, stockholders, engineers and manufacturing personnel that breathe life into this vehicle. The 1998 2% electric vehicle mandate in California, competitors at Ford and Chrysler underscore the importance electric vehicles and the quest for cleaner air to breathe. The ultimate solution to breathable air is still in evolution. This book gives personal insight into the trials, sacrifices and triumphs of people making a first step into modern electric vehicles within an established large auto company. A must read for Electric Vehicle enthusiast. An engaging story for anyone interested in breaking the mold and daring projects that re-invent the corporation. This is destined to be a "tail wags dog" story for GM!