Electric Cars were originally the most popular cars on the market in the early days. However, with the rise (and lowering price) of oil, the car was phased out. However, in California in the early 1990s the electric car was brought back and forcefully destroyed.
The Conspiracy Theory
According to some, and what most believe, the electric car technology and other "non-gasoline" or "green" technology is being suppressed by oil companies because of the large fortune they are making off of petroleum and gasoline.
A few famous people, such as Mel Gibson, owned an EV1. One of the main reasons the EV1's were crushed was because of the very limited range that they had.
What Happened?
In the early 90s General Motors began developing the EV1, an electric car. When the the California Air Research Board (C.A.R.B.) found out about it they put a law in place forcing car companies to make 5% of their cars electric. This would gradually be raised up to 25% over many years. All companies followed GM's lead. Ford released the Th!nk and other companies, including Toyota, released electric cars as well. The EV1 became mildly popular, with celebrities such as Tom Hanks and Mel Gibson leasing them. They began to get a waiting list for the car. GM would then contact those on the list and tell them all of the limitations of the cars, something most retailers and car manufacturers would never do. And after a strainful wait, they got to lease the car; there was no option to buy it outright. The advertising campaign was small and less than great. A petition, initiated because a section of utility bills were going to pay for Charging Stations, was being made by Oil Companies. Strangely enough, General Motors and several other companies sued C.A.R.B. for making the law forcing them to make the cars they already were making. Llyod president of the C.A.R.B., an enviromentalist, took away the law citing Hydrogen fuel as the way of the future. All companies began viciously destroying all the electric cars they built and not letting any of their customers buy them. All the EV1's were destroyed by General Motors except for several which were deactivated and sent to museums.
Further Studies
- Who Killed The Electric Car? (movie)