The EV1: A Public Relations Fiasco

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GM destroyed the EV1 because it was an experimental car and they were worried about liability. They never put them out there, put a price on it, said drive it home and keep it. The true story is that inside GM they're extremely proud of the EV1. It's a case of no good deed when unpunished.

Jonathan Rauch, of the Brookings Institution and the Atlantic Monthly, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the evolution of the Chevy Volt, GM's planned electric car. Due to the transparency of GM's effort, Rauch was able to spend a great deal of time on site at GM writing a piece for the Atlantic Monthly on GM's plans and hopes. Rauch discusses the huge risks, GM's past failures, and GM's hopes that the Volt might change the company's culture. The conversation closes with a discussion of competitors and the implications for energy policy.