The Saab EV-1 Concept Was A Clairvoyant Of Sorts
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Hatched in 1985, the Saab EV-1 (Experimental Vehicle One) was a super futuristic glass-domed wedge-shaped 900 Turbo-based concept. It featured durable composite bumpers, the Saab 900’s new 16-valve Turbo engine, solar panels on the roof to power the fans while parked, and unbelievably, carbon fiber impact beams in the doors to offer extra bracing against inter-vehicular impacts.
Yes, carbon fiber. In 1985.
The car was so futuristic, in fact, that it secured itself a cameo appearance in Back To The Future II as a car for the people of 2015. This is despite having been built a full four years before that movie was released.
Jalopnik reported on the wild, clairvoyant futurism that was this car, noting that it was equipped with 5-way adjustable electric seats from the Chevrolet Corvette, just a year before Saab’s corporate restructuring resulted in 50 percent of its stock being controlled by General Motors. Also prophetic, the Jalopnik folks correctly point out that the Saab EV-1 recalls the designs of the Saturn car company, which was also hatched by General Motors in 1985.
Are these two GM tie-ins coincidence? We have no idea. What we do know is that the Saab EV-1 is an oft-forgotten, advanced vehicle study, putting out 285 horsepower for a (then-blistering) 5.7 second zero-to-sixty time, long before that was cool.
In fact, everything about the Saab EV-1 came long before it was cool. And maybe that was the problem.
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My first impression when I saw this picture… was, Saturn?! I think I could live with Saab picking up the Saturn torch. Actually, that would be pretty cool…
The “real” EV-1 and the real instigator of change was the GM EV-1 Electric car.
We all now know that Chris Paine’s 2006 documentary called, “Who Killed The Electric Car?” spotlighted the
EV-1 story and GM’s eventual black eye connected to the collecting and crushing of all customer’s
leased cars. The film changed my life – once a “car guy; gearhead” with oil running through my veins –
I became a Volt owner and electric car advocate. Paine’s follow-up film, “Revenge Of The Electric Car”
somewhat lauds GM’s turnaround with Volt and Tesla – giving credit where credit is due.
These films are available on YouTube, I believe – and if not – Netflix. I highly recommend these rare
glimpses of auto technology, politics and the ways car companies ply both.
The EV-1 that will go down in history books is the car GM initially named the “IMPACT” — LOL, and
changed to EV-1 after realizing it’s not so smart naming an automobile after an accident.