In 2006, as many as 5,000 modern electric cars were destroyed by the major car companies that built them. Today the electric car is back... with a vengeance.
New feature documentary Revenge Of The Electric Car, chronicles the greatest shift in technology in automobile history and comes to UK cinemas on 20 July 2012 from Dogwoof.
With almost every major car manufacturer working on creating new electric models, Revenge Of The Electric Car follows the race to be first, the best, and to win the hearts and minds of the public around the world.
We watch as these cars are developed from a concept into a working product, and see the car makers themselves struggle with the economy, the press, each other, and the car buying public.
Director Chris Paine takes his film crew behind the closed doors of Nissan, General Motors, the Silicon Valley start-up Tesla Motors, and an independent car converter named Greg 'Gadget' Abbott to find the story of the global resurgence of electric cars.
We follow the electric car renaissance through the eyes of four industry pioneers: Bob Lutz is the larger than life General Motors Executive, a gruff, cigar-smoking maverick who seems to have stepped straight off the set of Mad Men. After years of scepticism, he’s now convinced that ‘Electric Cars are back with a vengeance’.
Elon Musk is the young dot-com billionaire and head of Tesla Motors, hdecides that Silicon Valley can teach Detroit a few lessons about car making. Carlos Ghosn is a former EV sceptic, Ghosn astonishes the car world in 2009 by announcing the launch of the Nissan LEAF: an affordable electric vehicle meant for the mass market.
Backyard converter Greg 'Gadget' Abbott is one of thousands of do-it-yourselfers, determined to start the EV revolution right now. Greg’s pride and joy is a converted silver Porsche Speedster. His goal is to mass produce the car - and drive it from LA to Palm Springs on a single charge.
Narrated by Tim Robbins and with appearances from Danny DeVito and Jon Favreau, this fascinating film follows the drama and excitement to find out who will win the race to create the ultimate electric car.
In 2006 major car companies destroyed thousands of electric cars that they had created, now they believe, it is time for the second coming.
Director Chris Paine takes us behind the scenes of the companies that are in the race for the resurgence of the electric car.
Taking us behind the closed doors of major car manufacturers Nissan, GM, and Tesla Motors, as well as independent car converters, we follow the development from concept through to working vehicle, the financial problems, successes and failures to see who will launch the first and best electric car that will win over the public.
Directed by Chris Paine
Revenge Of The Electric Car is released 20th July