Driving the future, then and now

March 13, 2026Newsletter Archives

Thirty years ago, GM previewed the future of the automobile with the EV1, the first modern, mass-produced electric vehicle. The EV1 pioneered many technologies that feature on our EVs to this day and proved that a car powered not by internal-combustion, but electricity, was possible. 

This year, we’re celebrating the EV1 by supporting a restoration project from YouTube channel Questionable Garage. We invited them to Detroit to learn more about EV1 history and to supply them with spare parts from a donor car. GM President Mark Reuss even makes a cameo appearance.

The spirit of the EV1 lives on in vehicles like the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt, officially the most-affordable EV in America. The Bolt’s chief engineer tells us how he and his team improved the beloved car, while maintaining a base price of $28,995. In short: by leveraging technologies from across GM’s broad portfolio of EVs.

Elsewhere on GM News, we look at high-speed engineering with a dive into how GM Motorsports and the Cadillac Formula 1® Team refine their simulator to make faster cars for the racetrack. We also speak with David Piper, who helps define the training program for all of GM’s dealer technicians across the country.  

– Chris Perkins, Senior Writer and Editor, GM News