Five years after Who Killed the Electric Car? (2006) documented the crushing of thousands of modern electric cars, four iconic trailblazers – Elon Musk, Carlos Ghosn, Bob Lutz, and a local mechanic fight to bring them back from the dead. From the bankruptcy of GM to the razor thin survival of start-up Tesla Motors, the electric car returns with a vengeance.

The Film

In Revenge of the Electric Car, director Chris Paine takes his film crew behind the closed doors of Nissan, GM, and the Silicon Valley start-up Tesla Motors to chronicle the story of the global resurgence of electric cars. Without using a single drop of foreign oil, this new generation of car is America’s future: fast, furious, and cleaner than ever.

With almost every major car maker now jumping to produce new electric models, Revenge follows the race to be the first, the best, and to win the hearts and minds of the public around the world. It’s not just the next generation of green cars that’s on the line. It’s the future of the automobile itself.

Revenge of the Electric Car is narrated by Tim Robbins. The primary cast includes CEO and President of Renault and Nissan Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Tesla Motors Elon Musk, Former Vice Chairman of GM Bob Lutz and EV do-it-yourselfer Greg “Gadget” Abbott.

The Cast

Bob Lutz, Vice Chairman, GM

Bob is a cigar smoking larger-than-life General Motors executive and the champion of the Volt, GM’s newest electric vehicle. After years of skepticism, he’s finally convinced that “electric cars are back with a vengeance.” And if a skeptic like Bob Lutz can be convinced, the same individual partially responsible for the demise of the EV1, can the masses be far behind?

Elon Musk, CEO, Tesla Motors: Elon is a brash South African-American engineer, entrepreneur and philanthropist best known for co-founding PayPal, SpaceX and Tesla Motors. When Musk decides to take on the Detroit auto industry he learns first hand that that making cars “aint easy”. Revenge follow’s Elon’s every step and misstep from early successes to near bankruptcy to a Tesla Deathwatch. Can Musk dig his way out and prove the doubters wrong?

Carlos Ghosn, CEO and President of Renault of France and Nissan of Japan – When Carlos Ghosn joined Nissan, it had debt of $20 billion. His radical moves made him Public Enemy No. 1 to Japanese traditionalists. However, in one year, Nissan’s net profit climbed to $2.7 billion. Will his winning streak continue with the new Nissan LEAF?



It’s a tremendous gamble. If Nissan succeeds, it will corner the market in mass produced electric cars and change an industry. If it fails, Nissan fails too.

Greg “Gadget” Abbott, Do-it-yourselfer: Gadget represents one of thousands of do-it-yourselfers determined to start an EV revolution. His pride and joy is a converted silver Porsche Speedster. His goal is to drive it from LA to Palm Springs on a single charge. But Gadget’s dream collapses when his workshop burns down and he has to start over. Can he remake his car and his life?

The Filmmakers

Chris Paine Director Chris A. Peterson Editor Stefano Durdic Executive Producer

Jessie Deeter Producer P.G. Morgan Writer / Producer Thaddeus Wadleigh Director of Photography

Michelle Kaffko Producer of Marketing and Distribution David Robbins Composer Chelsea Sexton Consulting Producer