Toyota Keeps Electric Cars On The Road!

What Happened at the Burbank Vigil

Transition Away from Burbank  On March 16, our presence at the GM Training Center in Burbank transitioned away from our round-the-clock vigil and over to our sustained educational campaign for change. We continue to bring the facts about GM's electric car program to the American Public. As we broaden our fight for clean air and energy independence, more people are joining our ranks to speak out on the need for change. 

Come and explore our web site, even if you've been here before. We are continually adding more information about happenings, how you can take action, future events, links, and educational information about electric cars and driving clean and sustainably.

The Burbank Vigil

Tragically, on March 15, day number 28 of our round-the-clock vigil at the GM Training Center in Burbank, a total of eight transporters came and hauled all remaining EV1 cars off towards the GM Proving Grounds, for their destruction in the Arizona desert. See Media Coverage and March 15, 2005 press release for more. Additional photos are in the March 15 album.


March 15, 2005 - 8 car transports loading more than 50 EV1s

On Monday, 2 people were arrested for blocking the exit from GM's Burbank site, as three auto transport trucks attempted to leave with at least 15 EV1 cars. The 3 trucks were later allowed to leave after Burbank Police peacefully arrested Alexandra Paul and Colette Divine, who sent a powerful message of the importance of this clean air technology to the lives of people everywhere.

General Motors continues to decline offers by customers of $1.9 million to buy the cars and waive all future responsibility for continuing service or parts. See Media Coverage for recent reports and our see our March 14, 2005 press release.

Visit our photo gallery for more photos from March 14, 2005.

Background when the vigil began on February 16, 2005

In 1996 GM introduced the EV1, the first modern all-electric automobile. Spurred-on by worsening air quality in the Los Angeles area, California regulators created the Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate, which required that major auto manufacturers offer zero emissions automobile for a small portion of their overall fleet. GM built a small number of vehicles to meet their initial obligations under the ZEV Mandate, however has focused much more energy on lobbying and legislation to undermine the regulation.

Just over 1100 EV1s were built by GM in two runs of production during 1997 and 1999. About 800 of these were leased to fleets and individuals in California and Arizona who were willing to wait months of sometimes years to take delivery of a vehicle. At the end of the 3 year leases, GM removed the vehicles from the road, over the pleas of many drivers, who offered to continue the lease or buy the vehicles. Most of these working zero emission vehicles, funded by up to $13,000 in direct state and federal subsidies, were unceremoniously crushed. A few have made it to New York and Massachusetts where, under the guise of test program, they are double dipping – receiving credit against both California and New York ZEV mandate programs.

78 EV1s remain on a lot in Burbank, awaiting transport to GMs test grounds in Mesa, Arizona, where they too will be crushed. These vehicles are all in working order, and in fact are regularly charged and moved around the GM parking lot. A group of dedicated individuals, supported by environmental and clean-air advocacy groups has established a 24 hour vigil outside the GM facility, asking GM to put these remaining vehicles back where they belong, in the hands of drivers. Please join us in asking GM to do the right thing. We’ll all breath easier with these zero emission vehicle back on the road.

How to Help

Map to the Burbank, California vigil location

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