Long before EVs became the face of modern mobility, General Motors quietly unveiled an electric city car that was decades ahead of its time: the XP 512E. While it never hit showrooms, this pint-sized prototype left a lasting impression at GM’s 1969 “Progress of Power” exhibition—and offered a glimpse into the future of sustainable urban transport.
As GM celebrates its rise to become the #2 EV seller in the U.S.—with electric vehicle sales nearly doubling in the first quarter of this year—its electric roots stretch much deeper than the popular EV1 or even the Chevrolet Volt. The lesser-known XP 512E stands as an early testament to GM’s long-standing interest in electrification.
A Tiny Trailblazer with Big Vision
The 512E—short for “Electric Experimental”—was a fiberglass-bodied microcar measuring just 86.3 inches in length and weighing 1,250 pounds. With an 84-volt lead acid battery and a DC electric motor mounted on the rear axle, it could travel up to 58 miles at 25 mph, though its top speed of 30 mph and 0-30 acceleration in 12 seconds made it more of a neighborhood cruiser than a performance vehicle.
The car’s innovative features included a removable canopy top, front-entry door, and a bench seat flanked by familiar comforts like a heater-defroster, windshield wipers, lights, and even an ashtray. Charging was done via a standard 115-volt household outlet, taking approximately seven hours—a far cry from today’s Level 2 and DC fast charging infrastructure.
Part of a Broader Vision
The 512E was showcased alongside two other city car prototypes: a gasoline-powered roadster with a 12-horsepower engine, and a remarkably advanced plug-in hybrid that could travel 150 miles using just three gallons of gasoline and a full battery charge. The exhibition, held at GM’s Warren Technical Center, underscored the automaker’s early experimentation with alternative propulsion.
A Nostalgic Nod to GM’s EV Legacy
Though it was never mass-produced, the XP 512E represents a bold and quirky chapter in GM’s EV journey. In an era when muscle cars ruled the roads, GM engineers were quietly imagining a cleaner, more compact future—one that, more than 50 years later, is now becoming a reality.
As the world races toward an electrified future, the 512E stands as proof that GM’s electric dreams didn’t begin in the 21st century—they were simply waiting for the world to catch up.
