Revenge of the Electric Car Documentary Coming in 2010

Currently in production, “Revenge of the Electric Car” promises to cover all things plug-in vehicle related. From the giants of the auto industry to the DIY converters to the small startup manufacturer, the film promises to cover electric cars from top to bottom, inside and out.
Directed by Chris Paine, who made “Who Killed the Electric Car?” this new film will document the ups and downs of the electric car industry and its current state of affairs as well as where it’s headed. So far, the film crew has looked over the Chevy Volt, the Tesla Roadster, green rallies and protests, been pulled over by the cops (in said Roadster), and more.
The film is ostensibly about the new electric car renaissance and how factors like higher oil and gas prices and a more enlightened public are demanding new forms of transportation. It seems to be going deeper than that, though. A look at the blog and the FAQ page shows that the film is also delving into some of the societal and industrial hurdles that have and are facing EVs today.

Last month, the film crew spent time in Menlo Park with Elon Musk of Tesla Motors, going over the Roadster models now being delivered, the plans of the company, slide shows of the upcoming Model S, etc. The internal workings of the company, including Musk’s insistence on interviewing all prospective employees before hire, were documented.
The film crew also witnessed the process that AC Propulsion uses to convert Scion xBs (called “eBox” when converted) to all electric and interviewed Kristen Reeves, whose documentary on the goings on at AC Propulsion included interviews with not just company leadership, but spokesman and first customer Tom Hanks.
Another conversion company, Left Coast Electric, is featured and legendary owner/conversion specialist Greg “Gadget” Abbott is shown moving into his new warehouse. Through television shows like “Smash Lab” and “Monster House,” Abbott has introduced the world to utilizing unusual materials to make working prototypes and models.

Gadget was in Paine’s first film, “Who Killed the Electric Car?” and returns for a longer stint in this new documentary. The new warehouse is built on the ashes of his old one which burned down, taking several sleek electric conversions (like his Porsche) with it. Despite the loss, he plans to make a scalable production model of that Porsche to offer for sale.
Vehicles aren’t the only focus of the documentary either, it appears. The production team has also covered recent changes in technology and events surrounding EVs, such as battery production increases, price dropping, and domestic versus foreign production and import. Market forces, his blog states, say that domestic production is the way to go as European EVs and manufacturers are likely to soak up most foreign-produced batteries for the foreseeable future.
Other non-EV coverage looks at electrical production. Not content with sunny Southern California, the crew visited Hawaii and one of the nation’s (and world’s) only geothermal power plants, in Hilo, on the flank of Kilauea. This 30MW plant produces about 20% of the island’s power needs while wind and hydro-electric produce another 10%.
Other coverage so far in the documentary includes the Solartaxi (which traveled the world on solar power), the Plug In America fund raiser in November (and similar events), and electric bicycles and scooters as well.
The film is slated for release in the spring of 2010 and will be undergoing shooting and production throughout 2009. More information is available on the film’s website and blogs at revengeoftheelectriccar.com.
Tags: AC Propulsion, chevy volt, chris paine, documentary, ebox, electric car documentary, electric vehicle charging network, electric vehicle conversion, elon musk, Featured, gadget abbott, greg abbott, Kristen Reeves, Left Coast Electric, monster house, revenge of the electric car, smash lab, Tesla, tesla motors, tom hanks, who killed the electric car
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