Who Killed the Electric Car



Who Killed the Electric Car? Movie Questions 1

Pre-Video Question:

-Name a hybrid car... which car companies produce them?

1. Read the disclaimer. What is the stance of the entertainment company that produced the video? Why is this

important? Where else might you see similar disclaimers?

2. In 1996 electric cars were appearing on roads all over California. (How old were you in 1996? I was in my first

year of teaching.) Now more than 10 years late the electric car has all but disappeared. What are some

advantages of electric cars?

3. Is the electric car a recent phenomenon? Explain.

4. Why did the gas car win over the electric car?

5. When and what discovery marked the birth of the modern automobile age?

6. Find out how the internal combustion engine works.

7. What is the number 1 flaw of the gas powered automobile?

8. Who has the worst air quality in the nation? What are some of the effects of poor air?

9. For each gallon of gas we burn, how much carbon dioxide is added to the air?

10. What is the hazard of CO2?

11. What were some problems with the first electric cars which car companies experimented with?

12. What was the “sun racer”, and who was it made by?

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13. What was the “zero emission vehicle mandate”? 1990

14. What was the name of the first modern electric car?

15. Where was the EV1 marketed?

15. About how many miles per charge did the EV 1 get?

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16. What were some of the sceptics saying about the EV1 electric car?

17. Who formed the groups that protested electric cars and attempted to persuade city councils not to build

charging stations?

18. What did oil companies do to sway public opinion about electric cars?

19. How did the State of California compromise with the automakers?

20. What is your opinion of the commercial shown for the electric car? How does it measure up to other car ads?

21. What did the manager of General Motors say they did about the waiting lists for those interested in the electric

cars?

22. What is your opinion on how GM acted? Would you have done the same in 2000?

23. Knowing what we now about the environment (global warming) in 2008, do you support GM’s actions?

24. Who did the workers at GM try to give the few electric cars to? Why did they use this strategy?

25. Why did consumers in 2000 expect to pay less for the electric car? Do you feel this is justified?

26. What did General Motors do with its electric car production division?

27. Why did automakers sue California’s air resources board? Which automakers were involved?

28. What did the federal government (George Bush) due to support a cleaner environment in 2003?

29. What are your feelings about the portions of the council meeting shown? (April 2003)

30. Why did the California Air Resources Board drop the 10% vehicles to be zero emissions mandate?

31. Why did GM originally “Lease” all their electric cars? (Ask your teacher about leasing cars, if you do not have a

good understanding of what this means).

32. How did activists raise public awareness about the electric car (or its sudden disappearance)? 2003

33. Why did GM want the EV1’s back?

34. How do you feel about the major automakers destroying their electric cars?

35. Who killed the electric car? There are a few answers here.

36. The video will list several suspects in the death of the electric car. Whenever the list one please add it to your

list here

37. What was the argument of automakers for not marketing the electric car?

38. Do you feel there was/is a demand for the electric car? What reasons would you give for consumers or yourself

wanting and electric car?

39. Do you think the demand for an electric car has changed from 2000 to now (2008)?

40. Why was a better battery needed for the electric car?

41. What happened to the man who invented a better battery for the electric car? Was a better battery used?

42. Who purchases control of the nickel hyrdride (longer range) battery technology?

43. Approximately how much oil is left in the earth’s crust?

44. Why would car companies fight to keep the electric car OFF the road? After all, they created it in the first place.

45. Why does the video say GM marketed the “HUMMER”?

46. What were marketing strategies for the HUMMER? (Include the tax breaks)

47. What does the graph show about average fuel economy of vehicles over the past 30 or so years?

48. Record the stats on Foreign Oil Imports.

Why did the use of foreign oil continue to rise?

49. Which car companies put hybrid cars on the road? Which ones didn’t? Why did this happen?

50. Compare the fuel economy in 2006 of Japanese and American hybrid vehicles

51. Why did California back off its stand against lowered air emissions and electric cars?

52. What are some limitations / issues of Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles?

53. How much more energy do hydrogen fuel cells use over electric battery power cars?

54. What are the 5 miracles needed to make a hydrogen fuel cell car marketable?

55. How do hybrid vehicles increase their fuel economy?

56. Where is the remaining EV1? How do you feel about this?

57. What are some reasons the electric car is more desirable today than it was in 2000?

58. What is the natural next step in electric vehicles?

59. What is the advantage of the new solar panels shown?

60. How do you feel about the future of electric cars? What will make YOU want to buy one?

61. Create a marketing ad for an electric car. Make people want to buy it.

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