• The EV1 was an all-electric vehicle produced in limited numbers by General Motors.Black plug image by oddech from Fotolia.com
  
  The EV1 was an all-electric vehicle produced by General Motors from 1996 to 1999, and the vehicles were only made available in California and Arizona under a lease program. Only 1,117 vehicles were produced, and when General Motors eliminated the lease program in 2001, the company destroyed most of the vehicles.
  
  

Pricing

• The EV1 carried a $33,995 sticker price. General Motors did not sell the cars, but instead offered leases for a term of three years, with monthly payments ranging from $399 to $549. The lease included roadside assistance and a warranty.
  
  

Mechanicals

• The front-wheel-drive vehicle was powered by an alternating-current motor that output 102 kilowatts, which is equivalent to a 137-horsepower gasoline engine. The EV1 came standard with a 312-volt lead-acid battery pack, or it could be upgraded to a 343-volt nickel-metal hydride pack.
  
  

Performance

• The top speed of the EV1 was 80 mph, and it had a range of up to 95 miles with the lead-acid battery pack and up to 130 miles on a charge with the nickel-metal hydride pack. The exact range depended on a variety of factors, including amount of weight in the vehicle, driving speed and how quickly the driver accelerated.
  
  

Charging

• The battery packs could be charged in a variety of ways, depending on where the driver was located and how quickly the packs needed to be charged. It took six to eight hours to charge the batteries using a 220-volt charger, or 22 to 24 hours using a home's standard 110-volt outlet.
  
  

Safety Features

• The vehicle came equipped with anti-lock brakes, air bags and a traction control system.
  
  

Convenience Features

• The EV1 came fully loaded, with power windows, locks and mirrors, in addition to a stereo with CD player, climate control and cruise control.