GM delays electric car intro
By Bob Irvin
Autoweek
November 10, 1980
page 4

Detroit.--General Motors has delayed by a year its electric-car timetable. The car now is planned for a 1985 introduction, according to GM President Pete Estes.

But Estes had been talking earlier in the year about possibly introducing the car in 1984, if all went well.

Apparently, though, there are still too many unanswered questions to plan for a 1984 introduction. Estes points out that 1985 was the original date anyway.

GM has developed a zinc-nickel-oxide battery for the car, but isn't yet sure of the best way to transmit the power to the wheels.

Estes said GM's Delco-Remy Division in Anderson, Ind., "is making real progress with the motor in terms of cost efficiency. And the battery project for the car is going well.

"It's just a matter of putting it all together. There is still a question of whether we should have a transmission on the car or do it all electrically.

"The bottom line is the price," he added. "We would like to build and price this as a commuter car. But if we find we can't we will have to make it in lower volume and do the car differently."

In other words, raise the price and sell it as a specialty car. In any case, GM would like to sell 100,000 a year in 1985.

Estes said GM should have a prototype running next month, and by the end of the year or early next year, we'll know where we are going and where it fits into the market place."