Used GM EV1 Electric Car Sold for $465k!?

I thought they were ALL destroyed by order of GM?

 

There are one or two in museums, one or two went to universities, but supposedly they were all disabled by removing key drive components. I believe there is one fully functional one known to exist, might be the one in the Smithsonian? Beyond that there are rumors that one or two may have escaped GM, either lost in the paperwork shuffle, or just ones they couldn't track down. I don't know that anyone has confirmed that this is real though, its hard to imagine anyone with what is legally a stolen car selling it on an internet auction. Can't imagine someone wouldn't notice a high profile car like that. If its legit, I'd say it was a fair price particularly if it hasn't been neutered. Given how few remain, and what the future significance of it is likely to be I'd think the collectors would be all over it. I'm pretty skeptical it was legit, if it was real at all. If it was free and clear you'd expect a car like that to show up at Barret Jackson or the like, not UsedVictoria.

Rob

 

Ironicly I know a guy in Mesa, AZ who has one. I don't know where he got it nor how much he paid for it but he was going to reverse engineer it and do some neat stuff.

 

It better keep moving. If it ever stops, the General's Bigfoot will come out and squash it, like the Monte Python video. The General seems to like squashing EVs, look out potential Volt owners. Watch out for the Big foot of GM!

 

Anyone else notice how much it looks like a Saturns SL2?

 

I believe that a few of these cars were actually held by GM for use by some of their higher-ups as commuter cars. I do know for fact though that the one the Smithsonian museum had on display was a fully functional unit that had simply had it's batteries removed (none of the electronic / drive components had been disabled). The ones that were distributed to universities had been provided more or less as gliders, all the good pieces had either been removed or disabled. There have been a few that were re-engineered as electric vehicles with non-GM guts and have been spotted at some of the EV drag race events. I had often wondered though if anyone had fled to Mexico with any of the original leased units before the long arm of GM caught up with them.

 

Yeah, at least from the front. I don't think its coincidence, the EV1 was marketed through the Saturn division and blended into that look. Saturns are also pretty popular with the EV converter crowd, its a pretty good shape and platform.

EVAlbum: Search Results

Rob

 

This car is going to be worth a fortune in twenty years, but it really belongs in the Smithsonian instead.

 

The Smithsonian already has one that they no longer display. Why would you want them to have TWO gutted EV1's? All this talk of an EV1 running around the landscape ... can you spell, 'C-R-O-C-K' ?? The halloween 'trick' came a little early. Any stolen EV1's (if any) would be kept under wraps ... not stuck on ebay, or some other web site, in essence begging by the thief to be arrested.

btw, Jay Leno offered an even million to GM (turned down) for an EV1 in his collection, so the fictional seller of stolen goods would have spent his last 'smart' brain cel stealing the car, apparently. Funny they'd be smart enough to do this end run around GM's roundup of every EV1, then suddenly go stupid with a public sale ... and then there's the stupid buyer. The stolen car would be disgorged from the party receiving it, and returned to GM.

 

Back in the early 70's when Robert McCollugh made chain saws and outboard motors ,He moved the London Bridge to Lake Havasu, AZ. to connect his island .The island was to be a test track for his new electric cars ...His first and only car (looks like a Studebaker Avanti) was developed ,sadly his untimely death ended the future production of his car.... EV 1 uses some of his ideas .

 

Hi Hill,

The Smithsonian has Phil Karn's personal EV1. Phil is a VP at Qualcomm, and a past local resident of the town I live in, besides a Ham Radio aquantance. Maybe the Smithsonian will blow away that SUV exhibit and bring back the EV1 exhibit!?

The EV1 might make a good haloween costume. The dead electric car, kinda goes in with the haloween theme.