Quote:
Originally Posted by randen
Its been 3 weeks and I've been driving the wheels off the truck. Its performing so well....
I'm thinking to myself "what was GM thinking crushing this technology?"
Gotta get those solar panels up!!!
Randen
|
They had no choice: it was an experiment, and the whole ev program became a political lightning rod. Watch "Who killed the electric car", that movie explains it pretty well. The cars themselves were splendid, as is the S-10 you have. When the "test driver" surveys started coming back roses and rainbows, the powers that be took notice and began slashing and burning.
That's why I drive a Saturn S-series. GM had to do something with the EV-1 chassis, so they built the original SL/SC cars. They are the original GM hybrid: they burn gas and oil!
The EV-1
2000 SC
1998 SC
I have had 4 of them, and the one I own now is the only one that ever let me down. I bought it knowing the engine was somewhat weak though. It drove just fine for a year doing highway commute duty, then when I switched to local stop-and-go driving, it developed a head gasket leak. Turns out the previous owner tried being a mechanic, and cracked a piston crown putting the engine back together. The stoplights and rapid heat cycling eventually turned the crack into a chip. So, not the car's fault.
To get the car back on the road quick, I found a junkyard motor locally for $400 and did a motor swap. I haven't done an autopsy on the bottom end yet, but from above it looks like previous owner tried a quickie cylinder hone and maybe re-ring. Head looks great, and I expect the bottom end to be similar. However, having the block bored and all the associated parts needed to renew the engine will definitely cost more than $400, so I might not mess with it.
The car is already saving me 10 miles per dollar of gas over the C1500 I've been driving while the Saturn was down. It really feels good not to have to stop and fill up every day! I wish I could find an S10 EV, I would drive that sucker every day, and never stop at a gas station with it!