1966 GM Electrovair II

80 miles!

Great video! Thanks for posting.

GSP

1966 Chevrolet Electrovair II

https://youtu.be/YyWwtQ7HHU8

I am a bit surprised at the range and charging time....

"All you hear is the hum of electricity" lol I bet it had a hum alright with the tech back then.

"almost 6 hours" for "40 to 80 miles" that's not so bad for 1966 I suppose. Seems like a low rider in the back, guessing that's where most of the cells are stashed.

Thanks for posting !

Video: Presenting the 1966 Chevrolet Electrovair II | Macs Motor City Garage

General Motors and the electric automobile have a long history together. The automaker’s research in the contemporary era dates back to the 1964 Electrovair and its immediate successor, the Electrovair II of 1966. Based on a production Corvair four-door hardtop, the Electrovair II was powered by a 115-hp AC induction motor and a 532-volt silver-zinc battery pack. The advanced technology offered speed and acceleration remarkably similar to a stock, gasoline-powered Corvair. But on the down side, range was limited to 40-80 miles while the expensive battery pack ($160,000 in 1966 dollars, it’s said) had a service life of only 100 recharges.

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Interesting video predictions ...

1966 Chevrolet Electrovair II

Cole said:

I am a bit surprised at the range and charging time....[/FONT]

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I am surprised the range (40-80m) is that much and charging time (6hrs) that short.
Thanks for posting that. I had not heard of that early GM experiment with EVs. It is mentioned at History of the electric vehicle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quote: " 1966 concept vehicle, the Electrovair II, was a 1966 Monza 4-door hardtop modified with a 532 volt 115-horsepower electric motor replacing the gasoline engine — following a 1964 version known as Electrovair I. With the 1966 model, silver-zinc batteries were used and placed in the trunk and engine compartment, and the body was slightly modified to accept the conversion. The car was handicapped by the high cost of the batteries ($160,000), a limited driving range (40–80 miles), and short battery life."
That was not GM's only EV experiment of that era, see Chevrolet Chevette - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quote: "In the 1970s, General Motors Advanced Engineering developed a concept car, the Electrovette, based on the Chevette but using an electric motor powered by lead-acid batteries. The car had a range of about 50 miles (80 km) at 30 mph (48 km/h), and a top speed of 53 mph (85 km/h)."

Wow, imagine being able to upgrade one of these to modern standards. ..

Adm said:

Wow, imagine being able to upgrade one of these to modern standards. ..

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Fer sure.. sharp lookin' car IMHO Just screaming for some regen and a computer or two :wink:

I posted a reply in the comments on the blog that tga posted (oops credited OP in my comment there, sorry and thanks tga and Cole).

As a "gearhead" myself, I totally see where some die-hard car fanatics hesitate to embace the BEV -- one had posted that he (I can only assume guys here) couldn't drive in something that sounded like a hairdryer, and the other suggested that the whole battery capacity thing is an "insurmountable" problem with EV's. I had to double-check the post dates to make sure these comments weren't posted back in 1966 :tongue:

For me, the commitment to BEV took my passion back from grease and gears and flammable solvent fuel to what brought me to cars in the first place -- the passion for driving them and for getting around quickly, cleanly and efficiently. In every way, the electric car is a better driving vehicle. Heck I'm still amazed that I got such an expensive vehicle without knowing more about its systems, and with limited to no ability to perform my own maintenance or repair. It's that compelling a vehicle.

Previously mentioned here:
GM Electrovair II