Comments on: Congressional Hearing on Lithium-Ion Battery: GMs Denise Gray, and Johnsons Mary Ann Wright Testify

By: GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Concept Site » New Bill Requesting Funds to Support Plug-in EV Research Has Been Introduced to Congress

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 13:44:54 +0000

[...] This bill is the Energy Storage Technology Advancement Act of 2007. As we’ve discussed previously Denise Gray, battery czar of GM gave testimony to Mr. Burton’s science committee in support of this research funding (previous post). We also were able to get a comment from the congressman (previous post) [...]

By: David Brandow

David Brandow — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 18:08:57 +0000

The basic points here are as follows
– The US has embarrassingly low mpg standards
– Its in the self-interest of all the automakers to resist tougher mpg standards
– The Volt won’t have any problems with tougher mpg standards

As an aside, any number divided by infinity does not equal infinity. That statement, or sub-statement, is wrong on at least two levels. But the point you were trying to make is valid.

By: SteveF

SteveF — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 17:44:32 +0000

Reading both testimonies there are couple of items I noticed and agree on. First, there is a need for U.S manufacturing capabilities and not be depended on Asia for battery manufacturing. If fed can help with cash and incentives for getting that accomplished I am for it. Second, fed can provide very good tax credits for purchase of Plug-in and other EV type vehicles. If GM initially releases the Volt and it is full $30K, it could be hard sell, but if add a 5K to 10K tax credit, then that would greatly help the market.

So yes agree with some of the above comments but still believe the government can make a difference in moving this technology. We will just have to wait and see if the do anything and what.

By: Rashiid Amul

Rashiid Amul — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:42:23 +0000

Kent, You said,

“And if the Dems are involved, you know its going to depend on whose Congressional district the company is located in and how senior their representatives are. The Dems have already refused to provide details on their tax bill amendments, so they obviously can’t be trusted. Of course, only 11% approve of Congress these days … must make Bush with his 35% approval feel all-powerful.”

You are the one who does not want this forum to discuss politics. Yet you are the first one today to really bring it up. Why? Because it is unavoidable.

Let’s face it. Both the Republicans and Democrats are useless, along with the President. We are on our own, so to speak, when it comes to funding. $20 million shows up how important PHEVs are to congress. None at all. Yet they were prepared to spend $223 million on “the bridge to nowhere”. Despicable.

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:30:24 +0000

Kent:

Your opinions regarding federal funding are duly noted.

However…
You make implications about the Dems and pork-barrel spending that simply amuse me. As though the repubs don’t do the same–does “the bridge to nowhere” ring a bell?

And the 11% approval is for the congress at large. Check out the approval numbers for dems and republicans separately. Overall approval of Dems beats Bush 38 to 33. If that’s not enough for you, check out who people blame for the lack of congressional results. More than 60% blame the republican caucus.

By: kent beuchert

kent beuchert — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:05:51 +0000

I fail to understand why anyone would think that LG, the world’s largest and most profitbale electronics company, doesn’t have the funds to build a production facility. They already manufacture over a million battery cells a day. Government funding of most technologies is an oxymoron – if the funding were needed, there are tons of idle investment capital sitting on the sidelines just waiting for something that looks promising. Let’s wait to see the rsults of the initial tests before even thinking about throwing money at a losing technology, like the Feds did when they funded the $1 billion development costs of what Time named as one of the 50 worst cars ever built – the crappy EV-1.
If assistence is provided, tax breaks are the most efficient method, since the much more intelligent open market will be judging which technologies are the most promising, not the braindead Feds. And if the Dems are involved, you know its going to depend on whose Congressional district the company is located in and how senior their representatives are. The Dems have already refused to provide details on their tax bill amendments, so they obviously can’t be trusted. Of course, only 11% approve of Congress these days … must make Bush with his 35% approval feel all-powerful.

By: Dave B

Dave B — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:35:49 +0000

It’ll be interesting to read the legislation. I assume we’re not talking about just simple grants which can be accomplished through whichever federal agency…

One more thought…I wonder if GM is waiting for Uncle Sam to act or if GM has already taken the approach with the Volt that there will be no federal assistance? Let’s hope the latter.

By: Jean-Charles Jacquemin

Jean-Charles Jacquemin — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 09:20:07 +0000

Hello Lyle, thanks for the information.

I have just sent an email to the European Parlement to ask why we do not see such support in public funding for research on energy storage in Western Europe.

I’ll inform you of the answer, if any.