Before the Chevrolet Equinox EV and Cadillac Optiq, General Motors had already experimented with electric mobility through the EV1. While much about the model remains little-known—largely because GM attempted to erase its existence—one of the roughly 40 surviving examples has just sold for an impressive $104,000 via Peak Auto Auctions earlier this week.
For reference, that price equals roughly three brand-new Equinox EVs—quite a sum for an old, beat-up car. The EV1, bearing VIN V212, was sold without a key, had a smashed driver-side windshield, and a stuck hood. Given its condition, the buyer will likely need to spend even more on top of the already ridiculous purchase price to restore it.
A Reminder of How Far EVs Have Come
GM originally built just over 1,100 EV1 units between 1996 and 1999, offering them exclusively through lease agreements. However, the automaker later destroyed most of the fleet—likely to avoid the long-term costs of service and parts support. Only about 40 units were spared, donated to museums and educational institutions. This recently sold example was reportedly tagged abandoned by the Clark Atlanta University Public Safety agency.
Since the EV1 was produced in the late 1990s, it’s no surprise that its specs fall short compared to modern EVs. It had a claimed range of 55 to 95 miles, far from the capabilities of GM’s current models, like the Chevrolet Silverado EV, which, in a road-test scenario by GM engineers, exceeded 1,000 miles on a single charge . The EV1’s electric motor produced 137 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of torque, with a top speed of around 80 mph.
Whatever motivated the purchase, we hope the buyer finds value in owning such a rare piece of EV history. After all, with EVs becoming more common, early models like the EV1 are getting more attention than they probably ever would have before.
Today, GM is competing across several areas of the EV market, from the high-performance GMC Hummer EV to the affordable end with the upcoming Chevrolet Bolt EV , which is expected to start below $30,000.
