Yesterday, in Part 1, I had talked about how the filmmakers for “Who Killed the Electric Car” are blaming hydrogen cars for the demise of the EVs. The documentary also blamed Big Oil, the automakers (especially General Motors), the Federal Government and the California regulators for killing off electric vehicles. They even blamed the consumers as well.
It’s easy to see how Big Oil would have a vested interest in seeing that electric cars go the way of the Pony Express, since having more electric cars on the road would mean less gasoline consumed. To Big Oil its simple economics.
The documentary also blamed a power struggle between the Big Automakers and the state regulators for killing off electric vehicles in California. According to the film, overzealous regulators put forth a clean air mandate in an attempt to clean up the smog in the Los Angeles basin, but set goals that were too aggressive and unrealistic and met with rebellion from the automakers. Instead of GM being rewarded for their innovative EV1 vehicle (the centerpiece of the film), they were being threatened with penalties for not doing enough. The regulators finally acquiesced and repealed the electric car from involvement in the mandate.
The chief regulator at that time, who if the film is to be believed, had a large roll in letting the automakers off the hook and essentially killing the electric car. The same person left that job to head up a consortium of automakers and public agencies that now promotes the development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
So, should hydrogen car proponents be worried that one of the people responsible for killing the electric car is now in a position of authority over the hydrogen car industry in California? I’ll let you make the call on this one.
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