OCT 06

We're not sure about this headline...details are sketchy. First, it's half a million Canadian dollars which, as we all know, is...er...wait...nevermind.

But second it's unclear whether the car actually sold for that amount and even whether the car existed at all. However, an ad in a Canadian newspaper has the EV1 (with seemingly authentic photographs) on sale for a minimum of $75,000. However, the price is now listed at $465,000 and the car is marked as "SOLD."

What does this mean? Well, it certainly means that the EV1 has secured its place in history and that there are some people who will kill to get one. After all, this (if real) is probably the only EV1 left on the streets in all of the world.

The EV1, for those of you out of the loop, was a GMC, 2-seater electric vehicle with a top speed around 70 miles per hour and a range of over 100 miles. The car was leased by GM, but after California changed their laws requiring electric vehicles, GM suspended the leases, took the cars back and destroyed them.

The car has been somewhat of a cult icon to electric vehicle fans like myself. And we're all a little frustrated that it's taken GM another ten years just to start thinking about putting another EV on the streets.

Via AutoBlogGreen

Comments (8)

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Stolen Car?
written by GNiessen, October 06, 2008

If GM only leased cars and this individual even admits that GM is still looking for it, then doesn't it qualify as a stolen vehicle? I guess the extra money with go for bail. And the buyer will need to talk quick to avoid joining him for receiving stolen property.

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Can't be so...
written by James, October 06, 2008

It would be stolen I assume since GM in all their evilness took them back for no good reason.

Plus, why would anybody pay $500,000 for al old electric car when you can get the new Lotus electric car for way less and is way cooler? hehe. ;)

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If true - crime pays!
written by Mark Bartosik, October 06, 2008

Crushing the EV1's arguably cost GM many many millions in bad press and image and lost sales to people that then hated them for it.

So it would be a safe bet that GM would not pursue anyone that stole / rescued (depending on point of view) an EV1. Indeed you could probably safely park it in a GM parking lot!

I view the EV1 (if real) as rescued.

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missed a decimal point
written by disdaniel, October 06, 2008

I'm sure the person simply misplaced a decimal point. The car would certainly be worth $4,650.

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Half mill not unreasonable
written by Hank, October 06, 2008

If it really is the only one left, there's a good chance the buyer is a car collector.

I would image a few years down the roar when hybrid and electric cars are the norm, that owning the only existing version of one of the first production electric cars (certainly the most infamous one) will be worth a lot more.

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Too risky for me
written by Ken Roberts, October 06, 2008

I wouldn't purchase it... not with all of the uncertainty surrounding the intentions of the real owner, GM. It takes a leap of faith to put a half million dollars on the goodwill of an auto executive.

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genious
written by kajuroe, October 06, 2008

whomever it was that hid their car in Canada when GM decided that it wanted to crush the future of their auto line was an absolute genius. Paying 1/2 a mil for one now is also a genius move by whomever is buying it, as it will surely only increase in value due to it's rarity. This also is not the only EV1 still in existence today. I know of at least two more still "here." It is however the only one on the planet that still has all of its working parts in their original state.

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my school's got one
written by telivingston, October 08, 2008

I go to Western Washington University and we have one of the only functional EV1's in the country if not the world.

My school has a Vehicle Research institute and we build hybrid formula cars. http://vri.etec.wwu.edu/

I have seen it, all the hard ware has been stripped out and I don't know if it runs or not, but they are still out there.

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