Hydrogen Blows (RA)

My topic research source was the documentary "Who killed the Electric Car?"

The documentary follows the conception, production, and recall of General Motor's EV1 electric vehicle that was introduced to the California market in the mid 90s.

Naturally, topics included a number of suspects for the termination of domestic EV (electric vehicle) including; General Motors, Oil Companies, California Air Resource Board (C.A.R.B), the Federal Government, and U.S. Consumers.

Chris Paine (writer / director) approaches the need for electric car technology from an predominately environmental perspective, giving statistics on southern California smog data and related health issues before addressing the issue of the demand and qualifications of the EV1. A majority of the information regarding the hindrance of the EV1 project suggests that GM is the primary suspect in the failure of the electric movement for various reasons.
1. Their advertising was extremely limited and inconsistent with previously successful advertising strategies
2. The EV1 was only available to the market under a lease option; when the lease expired no extensions were granted and all EV1 vehicles where impounded and crushed.
3. Markets that produced the highest amount of consumer demand and waiting list potential were closed down first so that market demand could be downplayed to the C.A.R.B.
4. Initial EV1 models were equipped with outdated battery systems in spite of more efficient technology available to GM.
5. A document from 1995 clearly expressed that the challenge to GM was how to control and discourage an overwhelming market acceptance to the EV concept

The area that I'll be focusing my efforts is on how the auto industry with the assistance of the federal government created this carrot on a stick alternative of Hydrogen Cell Cars.

Paine exposes that although the electric car is ready today the Hydrogen Cell has perpetually been 10-15 years away from production since the early 90s. The average car currently costs $1000000, hydrogen fuel cell stations are limited and inconvenient when compared with the plug in feature of the EV1. The amount of energy needed to run the vehicle is 4 times greater than electric, and the problem of hydrogen storage has not been solved by the industry.

The discontinuation of all hydrogen cell research, or at lease federally assisted research, in favor of hybrid systems is the focus of my topic.

That being said how much to devote to why hydrogen cell systems are lame as opposed to why hybrid systems that are achieving 148 mpg is so cool will need to be considered.

And that is 415 words. Have a nice day.