Friday morning, November 14th, 2008 - GM Training Center - Burbank, CA
The Honorable Nate Holden, former California State Senator and L.A. City Council Member, held a press conference demanding General Motors apologize to the American people for destroying the automaker's EV1 plug-in electric vehicle. Mr. Holden demanded the EV1's immediate re-introduction before, or in exchange for, any Government bailout of GM. Mr. Holden is outraged that General Motors is demanding a bailout of its financial crisis. In 2005 GM had the answer which would have solved their financial problems and that was the EV1 electric vehicle.

“General Motors compounded their financial woes by destroying the EV1 and continued to work with the oil companies to gouge the public. It's a dishonest act on the part of General Motors.” said Holden.

This press conference was held at the very same GM facility where the EV1 Vigil took place during February and March 2005. Loyal GM EV1 customers tried valiantly to save 78 remaining EV1s from being crushed. Activists kept a 24/7 watch over the vehicles and offered to buy the EV1s from GM for their residual value. Alexandra Paul and Colette Divine were arrested while peacefully protesting and making a stand against an EV1 filled GM transport semi attempting to exit the facility. Chris Paine's film Who Killed the Electric Car documented the EV1 Vigil (Click here to watch segment 4 and segment 9). Former EV1 drivers Doug Korthof and Chris Reeves attended and spoke at Holden's press conference having each arrived in their respective plug-in EVs (2002 Toyota RAV4-EV and 1997 GM Chevy S10 EV).

Alex Datig (Business & Public Affairs Consultant, HighRoad Consulting Group LLC) let us know that Mr. Holden had a fruitful day getting the EV1 word out.  After the press conference at the GM Training Center the Honorable Nate Holden went to City Hall to conduct more interviews and speak to elected officials. He sent the story on KFWB News 980 to President-elect Barack Obama. Mr. Holden had the following words for the loyal supporters of the EV1:

"I want to thank the EV1 family for their support and encouragement for me to continue the fight to hold General Motors and other auto manufacturers feet to the fire. As you know, today I strongly urge Congress to withhold any bailout funds from the auto industry, unless and until the industry agrees to mass-produce fuel efficiency automobiles; electric cars.

Congress should not under any circumstances release the bailout money to automobile manufacturers without making these demands. Without the demands the automobile manufacturers would just continue with “business as usual.” Manufacturing gas-guzzlers, which would increase our dependency on the middle-east oil producing countries. This dependency must end now!

We are the advocates of the electric car family and must continue our fight to save the electric car. We must not allow Congress to backslide or bait and switch. At the very least, members of the electric car family should demand that the conditions that were incorporated in the funding legislation of the $25 Billion loan package of September 2008 should be adhered to.

I respectfully urge each member of the electric car family to contact Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of the United States Senate, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives and each of your local member of Congress, to let them know that any deviation on their part from the conditions of the loan approved in September will not be tolerated.

Lets keep the pressure on!"

Nate Holden
California State Senate, ret
Los Angeles City Council, ret.

Hon. Nate Holden's next press conference regarding the EV1 will be held on Wednesday, November 19, 2008 at 10:00 AM at the LA Auto Show (LA Convention Center - Pavilian adjacent to West entrance).