Who Killed the Electric Car? (2006)

A documentary that investigates the birth and death of the electric car, as well as the role of renewable energy and sustainable living in the future.

Director:

Chris Paine

Writer:

Chris Paine

Stars:

Martin Sheen, Reverend Gadget, Mel Gibson

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Martin Sheen	...	Narrator (voice)
Reverend Gadget	...	Himself (as Greg 'Gadget' Abbott)
Dave Barthmuss	...	Himself
Ed Begley Jr.	...	Himself
Jim Boyd	...	Himself
Alec N. Brooks	...	Himself
Alan Cocconi	...	Himself
John R. Dabels	...	Himself
Phyllis Diller	...	Herself
Colette Divine	...	Herself
Tom Everhart	...	Himself
David Freeman	...	Himself (as S. David Freeman)
Frank Gaffney	...	Himself (as Frank J. Gaffney Jr.)
Mel Gibson	...	Himself
Greg Hanssen	...	Himself

Storyline

With gasoline prices approaching $4/gallon, fossil fuel shortages, unrest in oil producing regions around the globe and mainstream consumer adoption and adoption of the hybrid electric car (more than 140,000 Prius' sold this year), this story couldn't be more relevant or important. The foremost goal in making this movie is to educate and enlighten audiences with the story of this car, its place in history and in the larger story of our car culture and how it enables our continuing addiction to foreign oil. This is an important film with an important message that not only calls to task the officials who squelched the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, but all of the other accomplices, government, the car companies, Big Oil, even Eco-darling Hydrogen as well as consumers, who turned their backs on the car and embrace embracing instead the SUV. Our documentary investigates the death and resurrection of the electric car, as well as the role of renewable energy and sustainable living in our ...

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Plot Keywords:

car | american president | oil industry | california | question in title | 

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Taglines:

A lack of consumer confidence... or conspiracy?

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Genres:

Documentary

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for brief mild language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 August 2006 (UK)

Also Known As:

Chi ha ucciso l'auto elettrica? - Un giallo che si tinge d'oro nero

Filming Locations:

Willow Springs International Motorsports Park, Rosamond, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$45,138 (USA) (30 June 2006)

Gross:

$1,677,838 (USA) (10 November 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Plinyminor, Electric Entertainment, Papercut Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The boxy, small EV shown being crushed in the movie was the Honda EV-Plus. They, like the sleek GM EV-1, were only available for lease; several returned to Honda, and were converted into fuel cell demonstration vehicles. For a while, you were able to lease them through EV Rentals (at several Budget Rent a Car locations).

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Quotes

David Freeman: The oil industry and the automobile companies are resistant to change. The American people need to be reminded that it took a law to get seatbelts in the cars. It took a law to get airbags in the cars. It took a law to get the mileage up from 12 to 20 miles per gallon. It took a law to get catalytic converters to control the pollution. And i think clean cars are too important to be left to the automobile industry.

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Connections

Features Late Show with David Letterman (1993)

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Soundtracks

"Float"
Written by Adam Dorn
Performed by Mocean Worker
Vocals by Jane Monheit
Courtesy of Mowol Inc.

User Reviews

Great movie everyone should see it

This movie really highlights problems with American business. It seems that even after killing the electric car, there is actually a concerted effort afoot to kill the electric car movie. I can see that someone might not give it a 10 but a 2? Come on, its a great movie. Someone appears to be lowballing the vote. How anyone can build a love story and turn it into a tragedy -- about a car is amazing but unfortunately believable. I don't believe in conspiracy theories but I guess here it is just a strongly for or strongly against issue so it really isn't a conspiracy. However, I see the misinformation brigade that the movie caught in its own lies is at it even here at IMDb. Can you imagine a car company recalling all its cars, crushing them and killing the entire line just because a safety standard changed? Come on, whoever wrote that, please tell us what wavers were made? That explanation just doesn't make sense. A little more engineering and any problems (if there are any) can be solved. I highly recommend that anyone who drives, breathes, or hates to buy gas should see this movie.