In which an EV1 rises from the dead as a modified Honda Insight

Leave it to the builder of an electric vehicle called "White Zombie" to dream up a scenario straight out of a horror movie. In this case, it's an old General Motors EV1 electric vehicle seemingly brought back from the dead in the guise of a first-generation (and nearly carbon copy) Honda Insight hybrid, according to Plug In Cars. John Wayland, whose White Zombie is an all-electric 1972 Datsun he's been known to race from time to time, is taking cobbled-together pieces of an old EV1 given to Brigham Young University, among other sources, and creating an all-electric Insight whose single-charge range will approach 400 miles.

Wayland is about 80 percent done with what he dubs the "Silver Streak," whose relatively light weight (less than 1,100 pounds) enables that "extended" range. Wayland sourced an EV1 transaxle motor and wheels to make his so-called "EV2" happen.

GM made about 1,100 EV1s between 1996 and 1999 but took them back from their leaseholders in 2003 and crushed them (the process was memorably recounted in the film Who Killed the Electric Car?). The automaker did donate about 40 disabled vehicles to Ohio State, the University of Wisconsin, Western Washington and other universities, including BYU. There's also an EV1 in the Smithsonian.


Source: Autoblog