1966 Chevrolet Electrovair II 4dr Hardtop
It was a long hiatus, but by the 1960s, GM was looking seriously at electric cars again. Gas cost about 34 cents a gallon, or about $2.00 in today’s terms, but Americans were more concerned about air pollution, according to a GM overview on the Electrovair.
The Electrovair II, a show car unveiled in 1966 seen at right, was an improved version of 1964’s Electrovair I. Both were based on the rear-engine gas-powered Chevrolet Corvair, whose design provided a convenient location for the batteries. The large battery pack went under the hood, while the electric motor drove the wheels from the back of the car. Click here to read more.. »
Scribbled on August 29th 2009 in
Chevrolet,
Chevrolet Electrovair
The 1954 Corvair’s fastback styling with chopped off tail was influenced by European designs. In Europe, designers were more conceirned about aerodynamics than American designers were. Note the hood vents and front fender “gills”, wich were both scrapped on the production Corvette. Like its siblings, the Corvair used the same front design, though it also sported ribbed air intakes on the hood that routed fresh air to the interior and fender vents that allowed heat to escape the engine compartment. In typical Corvette fashion, the Corvair also had a wraparound windshield, with nearly vertical A-pillars like the Nomad, but without the wing windows. The roof was aircraft-inspired, sweeping back and tapering gracefully, eventually ending at the chrome-trimmed license plate housing, which resembled a jet-fighter exhaust port.
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