In 1969, GM built an electric car that could travel 58 miles, but only if you never went faster than 25 mph. The XP-512E was a tiny two-seat bubble car that never reached showrooms, yet it shows how early GM was thinking about city EVs.
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What Was the GM XP-512E?
The 512 Electric Experimental debuted in May 1969 at GM’s “”Progress of Power”” exhibition at the Warren Technical Center in Michigan, according to GM News via CleanTechnica. It was one of three 512 city car concepts, alongside gasoline and hybrid versions. The body was fiberglass on a steel floor pan. The front canopy lifted for entry, and it could even be removed to make a tiny electric roadster.
GM XP-512E Specs
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Battery | 84-volt lead-acid |
| Motor | DC electric motor on the rear axle |
| Range | 58 miles at 25 mph, 47 miles at top speed |
| Top speed | About 30 mph |
| 0-30 mph | About 12 seconds |
| Charging | About 7 hours on a 115-volt household outlet |
| Size | 86.3 in long, 56 in wide, 52 in wheelbase |
| Weight | 1,250 lb |
How It Compares With Modern EVs
The XP-512E was 19.9 inches shorter and 9.4 inches narrower than a Smart ForTwo EQ, per Small Cars Club. Even the tiny Citroën Ami quotes 47 miles of range, a full charge in four hours and a weight of 1,065 lb, according to Carscoops. The Ami is lighter and charges faster, but the 1969 GM concept actually claimed more range at low speed.
Charging is where the old car feels familiar. Seven hours on a standard 115-volt outlet is the same slow plug-in method US owners still call Level 1 charging today. Most new EVs sold in America now quote well over 200 miles, so the 512E’s real lesson is how far battery tech has moved, not how good the car was.
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The Hybrid Sibling
The 512 hybrid is just as interesting. GM Authority reports it had about 5.2 miles of electric range and about 150 miles of hybrid range on three gallons of gas, with a 35 mph top speed.
Why It Never Went on Sale
GM kept it as a concept. In our view, a 30 mph top speed, a 12-second 0-30 time and a seven-hour charge made it impractical for American roads, where highways were already built for much higher speeds. Still, GM later showed the Impact concept and turned it into the EV1 in 1996. Electrive notes GM has recently highlighted the 512E to stress its EV heritage.
AutoAkhbar Verdict
- Why it matters: It proves GM was testing electric city cars decades before the Chevrolet Volt arrived in 2010.
- Biggest flaw: Speed, charging time and lead-acid battery limits made it a lab idea, not a product.
- Can you buy one? No. GM Authority reports the car sits in the GM Heritage Center.
The XP-512E arrived the same year Apollo 11 landed on the Moon, and it still feels oddly modern when you see what today’s tiny urban EVs are trying to do.
Sources: GM News via CleanTechnica, Electrive
GM XP-512E FAQ
What is the GM XP-512E?
It is a 1969 electric city car concept from General Motors, shown as a two-seat bubble car at the Progress of Power exhibition in Michigan.
How far could the GM XP-512E go on a charge?
It could travel up to 58 miles at 25 mph, or 47 miles at its roughly 30 mph top speed.
How long did the XP-512E take to charge?
About seven hours on a standard 115-volt household outlet.
Was the GM XP-512E ever sold?
No. It remained a concept and never entered production.
Where is the GM XP-512E today?
GM Authority reports it is kept in the GM Heritage Center.”
