Electric vehicles are hot news in the car market today—and they’re as old as the auto industry. This fascinating General Motors film from 1966 showcases the Chevrolet Electovair II, the state of the art that year.
General Motors and the electric automobile have a long history together. The automaker’s research in the contemporary era dates back to the 1964 Electrovair and its immediate successor, the Electrovair II of 1966. Based on a production Corvair four-door hardtop, the Electrovair II was powered by a 115-hp AC induction motor and a 532-volt silver-zinc battery pack. The advanced technology offered speed and acceleration remarkably similar to a stock, gasoline-powered Corvair. But on the down side, range was limited to 40-80 miles while the expensive battery pack ($160,000 in 1966 dollars, it’s said) had a service life of only 100 recharges.
GM’s electric-car development would then lead to the Electrovan, a fuel-cell version of the Electrovair built on a compact van platform, and the Electrovette, a Chevette-based EV. In 1996 the controversial EV1 electric coupe was introduced, and in 2011 came the Chevy Volt, the automaker’s extended-range solution with more than 61,000 vehicles sold to date. Today the Electrovair II and its Electrovan brother are on display at the General Motors Heritage Collection in Sterling Heights, Michigan. This short video does an excellent job telling the Electrovair II story and explaining its components and layout.
There are still shortcomings, but some of the problems have been solved.
The lack of engine braking (which is true) can be picked up another way. The large rock trucks such as the Lectra-Haul and Titan use diesel-electric power where the engine turns the generator that sends power to the wheels. On a descent the operator can switch the drive motors over to generators which feed the power to a large heat sink behind the cab. The drag that is created can really haul those huge rigs down with little wear and tear on the brakes.
While I can see lots of potential with electric power, I still have problems stepping the accelerator pedal and getting rewarded with something that sounds like a hair dryer. I guess it’s because I simply got spoiled by ‘Polluticus Maximus,’ the venerable American V-8.
” I still have problems stepping the accelerator pedal and getting rewarded with something that sounds like a hair dryer.”
Custom exhaust was the first thing I did with my last car, but 6 months in a Tesla Model S 70D has cured me of needing that noise 🙂 My car sounds (and acts) more like a spaceship than a hair dryer, when it makes any sound that is. And the direct, linear propulsion is a driving enthusiast’s dream come true.
” the charging [and cost of charging] will always be an insurmountable problem.”
I heavily rely on my car, and can safely say I’ve surmounted 🙂
Yes it’s still expensive but that will change soon. Tesla Model 3 announcement is in March 2016 and Ford seems to now be going “balls-deep” into all-electric.
Thanks Mac’s Motor City Garage and Adm at Tesla Motor Club for the page and link:
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/59828-1966-Chevrolet-Electrovair-II
Look at Lenos site. His Baker is a 100 years old and was fairly practical,,, for short running.
The end problem with all pure electric cars is battery life and while they have better batteries these days the charging [and cost of charging] will always be an insurmountable problem.
Performance really has never been a problem. Electric motors have been as powerfull as petrols forever.
Formula E says it all, go a short distance then change cars!! Electric motors though for racing are far less than satisfactory. For city commuting quite practical,,except for the charging and battery life.
Unattractive at any voltage…
Make mine a big V-8.