In January 1990, Roger Smith, chairman of GM demonstrates Impact, an electric concept car at the 1990 Los Angeles Auto Show. The car was developed by AeroVironment Electric Vehicle Company, acquired knowledge about the development with the participation of GM in 1987 World Solar Challenge, a trans-Australia race for solar cars with the Sunraycer, who won the competition. Alan Cocconi of AC Propulsion designed and built the original drive controller electronics for the impact and the design was later refined by Hughes Electronics. On 18 April 1990, Smith announced that the impact that would be a production vehicle.
