By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Chris Paine
Country: united_states
Year: 2006
Running time: 92
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0487092/
Bruce says: “The story of the electric car is not a tale of fiction or sci-fi. The car was introduced to the marketplace in 1996 in response to a mandate from the State of California for reducing overall emission standards. By 2003 the electric car was dead. WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? is presented as a whodunit with a list of suspects all of whom are investigated and some of whom are figuratively indicted by the end of the film.
“Are the battery makers at fault? Initially the car’s batteries were an obstacle since they could only last for twenty to thirty mile trip. A small business man and entrepreneur in Michigan solved that problem by producing a battery that could last for 120 miles. Distance should never have been much of a factor as the purpose of the electric car was, after all, to reduce the collective emissions of all cars on the road, most of which are used for commuting and other small trips.
“Faring less well are the automakers GM and Ford. First, we are given a history lesson: GM, with partners Firestone Tire and Standard Oil of California, bought up trolley car companies in many urban centers, and then closed them down to force people to buy automobiles or take buses which coincidentally were another GM product. (Movie fans may remember this as part of the plot in WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT.) Early on GM and Ford began complaining that they could not meet California’s demands. In fact, they could keep up with the demand for the electric cars, which had begun to catch on. Both companies marketed the electric car on a lease only basis; no direct sales allowed. Both companies made haste in recalling the cars by not renewing leases, then crushing or shedding the autos so they could not remain in use.
“When investigated, the oil companies do not fare well either. It seems the company producing the new, more powerful batteries was sold to GM who in turn sold it to Chevron and Texaco, companies who decided the batteries should be taken off the market. Simultaneously the oil companies began to campaign against the electric car and, instead, tout the hydrogen car as the way of the future. That bogus argument was obvious. The electric car already was in production and the hydrogen car was merely a vague concept that many scientists think is implausible. George W. Bush is featured at a press conference where he lavishes praise on the hydrogen car, the wave of the future. Meanwhile the public is forced to gobble up huge quantities of oil.
“Is the State of California at fault? The man heading the California State agency that ultimately caved in regarding the emission standards was a plant. He had been actively involved in the hydrogen concept and showed no neutrality towards champions of the electric car at public hearings.
“The most fun part of the film is the interviews with the electric car owners (one is Mel Gibson who comes across as a consumer activist). They are a dedicated group. When the cars are recalled they formed a 24/7 vigil to make sure they are not harmed. The film opens with a funeral they are conducting for the electric car – a proven concept that was killed because of corporate greed. This film serves as a reminder that the American public has little or no say in determining our nation’s energy policies. 3.5 Cats”