Who Killed the Electric Car?

"Who Killed the Electric Car?" explores the creation, limited commercialization and subsequent destruction of the battery electric vehicle in the United States, specifically the General Motors EV1 of the mid-1990s, examining the roles of automobile manufacturers, the oil industry, the federal government, the California government, batteries, hydrogen vehicles and consumers in limiting the development and adoption of this technology. The film examines the history of electric cars, modern development and commercialization, focusing primarily on GM's EV1, which was made available for lease mainly in Southern California after a zero-emissions vehicle mandate passed in 1990.