Any “Green” car that GM produces will market itself based on mpg - he just needs to make some noise - which is exactly what he’s done.

It’s tragic that he’s come so far out of the sceptic closet - but I’m not surprised. What I would like to know if this is all just marketing and positioning - or if those are actually his personal opinions.

Also, there are no ‘leading climate scientists’ which fully attribute the observed temperatures to sunspot activity. I know because I have access to academic peer reviewed articles from various sources.

At any rate, having grown up in Detroit and lived the dream of daddy GM setting Murrica’s agenda in the papers twice a day, I can comfortably state that many good minds have fled GM and what has filled in the vacuum leaves a lot to be desired.

Second, anyone using the OISM petition is an idiot with regard to science. Period. But I’m glad they’re trying out this car.

Best,

D

If none of his assistants has pointed out that the “32,000 scientists” stuff is bogus what else aren’t they telling him?

It is important not to think of the Volt as the only PHEV either from GM or from the rest of the industry. There are many design points. The Volt is one. Other design points will have lower up-front costs, but higher fuel costs. Over time, the Volt design point will have lower and lower up-front costs as well. Don’t get too hung up by the price of the Volt on day 1.

You mean at GM. The rest of the industry is moving quite rapidly in that direction. Mitsubishi, VW, Subaru, BMW, Nissan, Renault, Mercedes, and Toyota are all planning either BEVs, PHEVs, or both. Other companies have prototypes and concept cars (e.g. Volvo, Mazda, Ford, Audi). It is true that the Volt is one of the most interesting PHEVs planned, but there is a lot going on not associated with Lutz. On top of that, there are startups galore now too with planned products. It will be crowded out there in 2011.

Planning on marketing some electrics in 2010. Including a 40 mile range Volt-type Jeep.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/26850309

I’ve lived there, I’ve lived in Florida, and I live in California. Along the coasts, where the majority of Americans live, what one wants from a car is different than if you live in less-densely populated, flat places with brutal winters.

Additionally, cultural changes tend to start along the coasts and gradually spread inland. These guys live where they are in danger of being a couple of years behind change. By the time they feel a change in their pulse the greater market has moved on.

BTW, last winter in Thailand I noticed a lot of small Chevys on the road. GM is building something that is an attractive alternative to the Asian offerings. Why there weren’t ready to quickly convert some SUV/big pickup lines to smaller efficient cars is a question that shareholders should ask.

Er, I think hes mainly motivated by profit….

One or more might team up with a large car manufacturer in order to take their product to large volume levels in a hurry. I understand that Tesla has been talking with at least one Asian car manufacturer.

I can’t see any of the named companies getting to the point where they produce at Toyota/GM/Chrysler levels in the foreseeable future. That’s just too much infrastructure to create.

But then I don’t know all that much about car manufacturing. Is it possible that there are already non-car companies that make most of the components needed? Buy your shocks from ‘X’, your windshields from ‘Y’, and perhaps all you need to do is set up an assembly line.

Or even do what Tesla is doing and buy a ‘rolling shell’ from an existing manufacturer and drop in electric motor, transmission, batteries, and controls.

Notice that when Tesla figured out the transmission that would work in their car they turned to BorgWarner to actually make them.

Then the other side of all this is that the ‘big boys’ have to do is to simply buy ‘one of each’, take the best ideas and jump all the development process that Aptera, etc. have done over the last few years.

That said, building a great electric car doesn’t seem to be the issue. The biggie is building a great electric car battery. When those come to market most any car company can build a body and buy a good electric motor from someone else.

Going to be interesting to watch.

If I had to bet I’d put some money on Tesla and Fisker hanging around for a while as producers of ‘exotics’.

And most of us driving cars built by existing Asian manufacturers.

I guess I fathomed a guess even though I thought myself unable ….

Oh - and BTW, the Volt will be sold at a loss for at least its first generation.

[JR: Serious deniers stop using the breathing talking point many years ago. It isn’t biogenic CO2 that is causing the problem — fossil CO2.]

Your name is a misnomer. You are not a skeptic. You are a denier.

Either that or you are incredibly gullible and just misinformed.
Take your pick.