(Mis)Uses of Technology

(Mis)Uses of Technology

by Mike Masnick




Attempt To Save Electric Cars Ends In Arrest

from the so-much-for-that-plan dept

A few years ago, when GM decided that it wanted to delete all evidence that they ever built an electric car, a lot of people protested. GM never sold the EV1, but only leased it. When those leases ran out, and GM didn't want the car to exist any more, rather than let existing owners buy the vehicles, GM announced that it wanted to destroy them all. While some EV1 owners have apparently tried to just keep the cars, others have been rounded up, and were supposed to be sent off to be destroyed. This seems like the type of cause some Hollywood actress would pick up on, and indeed, a Baywatch actress helped get some publicity for the cause by getting arrested while trying to stop the EV1s from being sent out for destruction. This is the first time, however, I've seen GM try to come up with an actual reason for destroying the EV1s. They claim there aren't enough parts around to support the cars, meaning they may become unsafe and lead to lawsuits. It's an interesting spin, but wouldn't that also mean they should be taking plenty of other old cars off the road as well?

3 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 
 

Reader Comments

(Flattened / Threaded)

    Mar 15th, 2005 @ 12:27pm
  • Shh....

    by Oliver Wendell Jones

    It's an interesting spin, but wouldn't that also mean they should be taking plenty of other old cars off the road as well?

    Shh... don't give them any ideas!

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Mar 15th, 2005 @ 1:18pm
  • From what I've heard....

    by seth

    If a company sells a car, they are required (by the government) to make parts for it for 10 years. Since not many of these cars would have been sold, it probably wouldn't have been profitable to produce replacement parts.
    I'm not sure how valid this is but it makes sense to me.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Mar 15th, 2005 @ 1:23pm
  • No Subject Given

    by chris

    If GM let the customers keep them, they (GM) would be legally bound to continue to offer servicing and repairs. Offering those services to the scattered few cars left is economically unfeasable.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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