" General Motors did try, spending a billion dollars to develop the two-seater electric EV1. Introduced in 1996, the vehicle was not exactly compelling—owing to its shape, it became known as the “Egg on Wheels”—and its range was limited. Aside from a handful of aficionados, the EV1 failed to gain traction and ended up in the junkyard. The battery just wasn’t good enough. Moreover, how many people really wanted a gasoline-free car when gasoline was at that time only $1.30 a gallon? "

― Daniel Yergin , The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations