The Car That Could: The Inside Story of GM's Revolutionary Electric Vehicle

by Michael Shnayerson

Unprecedented secrecy surrounded the early development of General Motors's Impact. Shnayerson watched the story unfold from a position of access never granted a reporter before--literally from the inside of the pace-setting GM Impact program. This is the first book to penetrate the silence surrounding GM's risky and successful decision to become the world's first mass producer of the electric car.

Genres: Business, History

295 pages, Hardcover

First published August 27, 1996

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this to be a great inside look at the workings of General Motors while they try to create the nation's first marketable electric vehicle. I found the authors pace to be good and the story engaging, especially for a book about engineering.

While reading it, one really begins to appreciate the technical challenges that were a part of this project, and the amount GM spent to try to make it happen while the company itself was in bit of financial mess. It also shows GM to be less of one massive single-minded corporation and more of a collection of individuals who were working against each other almost as often as they were working together. I never realized how much of an effort it takes to design, build, and manufacture a new car from scratch.

Although the book was published before the program was eventually canceled (which was the subject of the documentary, "Who killed the electric car?") the reader gets a taste of issues that might eventually cause the program to end.

[Nicko · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story follows a group of people who were lucky enough to be chosen as test “owners” for General Motors’ limited production electric car, the EV-1. They fell in love with the fast, quiet cars, and felt that they were on the leading edge of a new wave in automotive technology. But then GM started behaving strangely. It was as if they didn’t want these cars to succeed. They wouldn’t let the drivers of these cars buy them, despite strong interest in owning them. Around this time the SUV was gaining ground as one of the most profitable vehicles types ever produced, and gas was still under two dollars a gallon. Of these two vehicle types, one was loved and the other resented by those who wanted us to buy their oil, but why would the manufacturers care?

With journalists sneaking into GM’s secret lots, interviews with developers of the car, industry analysts, and even an oil company executive who tells us that the EV-1 was just no good, we get a limited but useful glimpse into the nature of two industries that have a far-reaching impact on our lives, whether we like it or not.

[Rhea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Resulting in the only detailed history of the General Motors EV-1 program, author Michael Shnayerson was given access to the team during the development process. As one might expect the story of an electric car being produced by the world's largest automaker takes some twists and turns. The project was announced by one CEO in 1990 just as he retired and left the company, the project slowly died, and then was revived to meet the California Zero Emissions Vehicle regulations, and finally killed when those regulations were successfully destroyed in the courts by a lawsuit supported (in part) by General Motors. Overall, its a tale of how difficult it is for carmakers to change their ways and incorporate advanced technology into what they do, showing that government regulation can make it happen, but only if the rulemaking is stable and sensible.

[Robert Luebke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that the book "The Car That Could" would probably be technical and somewhat boring. However, author Michael Shnayerson made the book read like a best selling novel. I was surprised how interesting it was, I couldn't put the book down, read it in two days.
Totally amazing that the Impact was finished considering the constraints placed on the engineers designing this car, the glitches and setbacks, and the politics involved in both GM upper management and possible legislation mandating zero emission vehicles.

[Jay Brookes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells a story often unknown or forgotten- and an important story. If you like this book I would also recommend another recently published book on the topic, "Two cents per mile" by Nevres Cefo.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Regardless of what killed the EV1, this book does a good job chronicling the success and struggles of GM and what made the Impact possible.

[Butch Byers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of interesting facts about the professionals associated w the original electric car, but a little disjointed....

[Keri Kresler · Rating 3 out of 5]

My copy inscribed to me by the author.