Not at all. The EV-1 never generated the interest necessary to drive it into production. Likewise, the demonstrated intererst within the car buying public was for SUV's. GM built tons of vehicles that got 30mpg, but what did the consumer buy? SUV's. No chicken and egg at all. Pure market economics.
Don't understand that point at all. Who builds their own cars? Who has ever done so?
Dummies? There were not enough of them to warrant it at the time. Show me another manufacturer who stepped up to building a car for a few dozen people and then agreed to supply parts and warranty for such a limited audience.
Wrong lesson? Have you looked at the number of cars they build that rival the mileage of the most touted cars? They simply got caught by a market turn. Markets turn fast and companies sometimes lag in their ability to follow. Happens everyday. I'm not sure you show an understanding of how supply chains, engineering, and product releases work.
Maybe so - in hindsight, which is always so accurate. At the time, I bet it did not look so smart.
Again - maybe so. And, in hindsight, it would probably have been worth an investment. But hindsight is 20/20.
I don't disagree, but the real market has to be there for real analysis and development. Again - you have to look at the real market forces that existed at the time - not what could have been. The real market forces were a consuming public that did not care about that car. They cared about SUV's. That's what they bought and that's what their feedback was to the motor companies. Say what you will but the sales records speak for themselves.