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GM CEO Admits to Dedicated Production E-Flex Opel Program
In September GM introduced the Opel Flextreme crossover concept vehicle which was based on an E-Flex drivetrain platform with a diesel range extender, and a 34 mile lithium-ion battery electric range.
By December Frank Weber had told us that the Flextreme was not production intent.
Also we have been told that the Chevy Volt is intended to be a global product.
Yesterday, however, Rick Wagoner made the comment that GM now actually has a program in place to produce a series of production E-Flex vehicles under the Opel line.
Wagoner also reported that the development program is already underway at the GM Technical Center in Warren Michigan. This is in light of the announcement of a $10 billion dollar investment by GM Europe into the Opel line which well help to bring this E-REV to market.
Source (Green Car Congress )
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Fantastic. I hope they do the Saturn version here in the US.
Hope the Cadillac Provoq or similar crossover with all wheel drive will be in production soon after the Volt also. People love their SUV’s, just not the gas mileage. Great opportunity for GM to keep some of their existing customers.
I love the idea that the Opel has the two Segways in the back…How cool is that?
I’ve always wanted a Segway but cat afford one. It would be great to roll the cost into a car loan.
Wow, A global punch in jaw to all other automakers. Go GM!
Not to mention, this is all the more reason to keep two battery manufacturers on board. Maintains competition, increases global volume, and hopefully lowers the price.
With the high population density in Europe, an E-Flex vehicle would especially seem to make sense.
Don’t you just love this stuff?
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Hybrid-vehicles-may-not-be-healthy-for-drivers/304604/
Take Care
Arch
GM is a wierd company, someone will write a book about this one day.
Still, one day at a time, is that the same technical center that is producing the Volt?
Eric E, if you really think you are getting a bargin by bundling the price of the Segway’s into the price of the vehicle …..
I would assume in production the Segway’s will be an option (if available at all). In the USA more and more places are banning the Segway’s. They aren’t great sellers either. Luckily Dean makes money on his other ventures.
For once GM makes a logical… why put so much money in a program to only produce 1 model when you can reuse the same plateform for more.
5. Bruce G - The Warren Tech Center is the main location for GM’s product development as far as I know… (at least for North America) although I’m sure there are other locations where PD and R&D take place.
2. Dale - Wasn’t the Provoq was a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle? … not exactly the same as the Volt concept, and would require more infrastructure to implement. Of course, GM has that hydrogen pilot program in California now don’t they? still, I agree it would be interesting if it could be made available to consumers.
8. Dave99 (my reply to the article
- I’m excited that this thing is spreading to Opel, it likely means more global development effort toward the platform resulting in a better product.
At Saturn.com they already have the Flextreme listed under the future vehicles section.
Yeah baby!
This move makes sense. The economics of a PHEV are more favorable in Europe than in the US since since gas (and diesel) prices are much higher in Europe.
The Saturn Flextreme is on these Delta 2 platforum, these Chevrolet Volt is on these delta 2 platforum, these Opels is on these delta 2 platforum, Cadillac Provq is on these theta 2 platforum, with more to come.
Letter from the Chairman of GM
Dear shareholders,
The good news is I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
The bad news is the light I see is shining from the front of a huge freight train. It’s heading right for us. And the name of that train is “GM’s bankruptcy.”
As the chairman and CEO of General Motors, I will go down in history as the executive who bankrupted the greatest industrial company of the 20th century. Even if I quit now, I’ll still get the blame. My reputation has no escape. But each year I can hang on to my job, my pension fund grows by millions – no matter what happens to our poor shareholders. Besides, it’s clearly not my fault.
My hands are tied, as I’ll explain.
The larger lesson you should learn from the events now unfolding at GM is a company cannot suffer 40 years of bad decisions, bad ideas, and bad debts and expect to compete with the rest of the world’s automakers. And the same thing is true, on an even larger scale, of our nation. It used to be said, “What’s good for GM is good for America.” But in about a year, when we file for bankruptcy, that motto will be turned around. People will say, “What killed GM is killing America.”
As I have told you repeatedly in these letters, what’s killing us is a legacy of debts and obligations we cannot possibly repay. Managers of GM now decades in the ground made promises to our workers without any understanding of how expensive those promises would become. The profits we made in the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s were very much borrowed against our future earnings in the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s. And now we simply cannot afford them anymore, nor do we have any pleasant way to repudiate our promises. The only answer is bankruptcy. (The same thing is true, by the way, of all of the social welfare promises the U.S. government has made since the 1930s: There is no real way to pay for Social Security and Medicare without utterly bankrupting the United States.)
Our obligations have made it impossible for us to invest in the capital equipment we need to build more efficient, more reliable, and more comfortable cars. Our aging plants and infrastructure make it impossible for us to compete with our foreign competitors. Have you ridden in a BMW lately? Or the new Honda? Those cars are exceptional – built with new tools to incredibly small design tolerances. We simply cannot build cars approaching that quality anymore. To do so would require $50 billion in new investment – and that’s $50 billion we don’t have.
In a very real way, our debts are strangling us and killing us, bit by bit, a little each year. They bound us up, causing our muscles of innovation to atrophy since we did not have enough money for new investment. And now these cancerous debts are eating the marrow of our business, sucking our cash reserves away one bad quarter at a time.
Last year, we suffered the biggest annual loss of any carmaker in history – $38 billion. And now we’re well on our way to another disastrous year. We lost $3.3 billion in the first quarter, mostly due to losses in our U.S. mortgage business, but also because a strike disrupted our U.S. operations. As you know, we sold 51% of GMAC, our finance company, a few years ago. We should have sold all of it. We “think” it’s still worth about $5 billion. But, truth be told, we are eventually going to have to write off the whole thing.
The real problem with our business, though, isn’t bad mortgages. Quite simply, we cannot make enough money selling cars to afford the service on our $33 billion debt load. This year we will spend close to $4 billion simply paying interest – not including any principal. That’s also not including the estimated $47 billion we owe to fund our retirees’ health care. Or the $11 billion we owe in cash pensions. These debts are killing us. And given that every year our competitors produce better cars, using newer tools, it seems extremely unlikely we will ever turn a real profit selling automobiles.
Take the last quarter. We made $1 billion in our overseas operations, where we don’t face nearly as much competition as in the United States. These profits, unfortunately, are not nearly big enough to keep us above water. In fact, we lost three times that much money on our North American operations in the last quarter.
The only way to save GM would be to increase our global market share substantially by selling a lot more cars. And yet, every quarter, our global market share declines and our revenues fall. We’re now at 12.5% of the global market – below 13% for the first time. And the number of cars we sold in the first quarter fell by 1%.
I think we’ve finally entered the end stage – the death spiral. Our cash balances are now eroding quickly. We lost more than $3 billion in cash in the first quarter, more than 10% of our total reserve. We now have just more than $20 billion in cash on our balance sheet. Given our current burn rate, I estimate we will declare bankruptcy in a little more than three quarters. We can’t operate this business with less than $10 billion in cash. Our suppliers will stop offering us credit, the banks will pull their credit lines, and the whole thing will finally collapse.
At least you’ll know it’s coming.
Please invest accordingly,
Your Chairman
lol,
I guess the next question is when can we expect to see any Opel flextreme on the road. I take it there no date given which is the same situation as six months ago, some would say a year ago.
I am inclined to agree with Bernie, the next entirely logical step to get the E-flex on the road is to file for bankrupcy.
lol
2 Dale, 8 Dave99, 9 Hous…..
The Caddy Provoq concept employs a chassis IDENTICAL in shape & size (height, width, length) to the Opel Antara designed by GM Europe & sold in the US as the 2008 Saturn Vue crossover SUV. The Provoq has a 9KWh Li-Ion battery under the center console, which gives it a battery-only range of 20 miles (without use of its fuel cell). If GM simply replaced the fuel cell with a diesel (or gas-ethanol) ICE range extender-generator & added a 2nd Li-Ion 7KWh pack under the rear seat (for a total of 16KWh), the Provoq concept (or Plug-in Vue) would have a range of….
(16KWh/9KWh) x 20miles = 36 miles
This E-REV crossover SUV could be sold as a Cadillac Provoq derivative …..OR as a Saturn Vue 2009/10 Plug-in, which is what I’ve specifically proposed –via written dissertation– to Bob Lutz, Larry Burns (head of GM global R&D), Jill Lajdziak (Saturn Gen Mgr) and to the Plug-in Vue Chief Engineer thru Jill Lajdziak. [I haven't been overly emphatic about this here at gm-volt.com because this site is primarily about the Chevy Volt .....but a 35-40mile EV-only range for an E-REV in the Opel-designed Saturn Vue Plug-in (due out even before the Volt) is definitely feasible. And given the huge demand for down-sized (cross-over) SUVs in the US, a crossover SUV that like the Volt uses NO GAS for 35-40 miles but has 5 seats & the ability to haul lots of stuff including towing a boat or camping trailers, should be a sales sensation!]
(By the way, it was also just announced yesterday that Germany’s Continental Powertrain Division, one of the Volt’s battery suppliers, has expanded its Li-ion battery portfolio to support power requirements of up to 120 kW with a capacity of up to 18 kWh. With TWO 9KWh Li-Ion packs, one under the Vue’s firewall & front console and the other under its rear seats, the Plug-in Vue should achieve a (18KWh/9KWh) x 20mi = 40 miles EV-only range).
12 Bernie Torbik….
A clever, astutely-written & provocative piece of penmanship. If you’re the author, I’d suggest sending a copy to Richard Wagoner at GM Headquarters to save him the trouble of writing one up himself. If you’re not the author, could I trouble you for a link or a reference to your source? ….Lee Iacocca, perhaps?
16 - nasaman: Just trying to cut through the hyperbole surrounding the most recent quarterly earnings report. Trust me, several family members and friiends who work for GM wish it were otherwise. Lee Iacoca had nothing to do with it.
2009 “Saturn Vue Two Mode Plug in Hybrid System” with litium ion batteries. yes, no ?
To me, it doesn’t matter which car gets 40 miles to a charge. I don’t care if its a Volt, Opal, Cobalt..whatever. If it has a plug, can go 40 miles on a charge, then I’m happy.
Saturn has already said that there will be a “Saturn Vue Plug in Hybrid for 2009 model year.
I’m sorry the saturn vue Two mode hybrid system will be here late 2008, plug in will be here in 2009.
20 Speedy…..
As you say, “Saturn has already said that there will be a “Saturn Vue Plug in Hybrid for 2009 model year.”
The issue I’ve discussed in writing at length directly with both GM & Saturn senior management is that they’ve only committed to a 10 mile EV-only range. Like Mark in post 19 implies, a 10-mile range will likely be SHUNNED by potential buyers when the Volt, Flextreme (& who knows how many other GM variants) will be touting 40 miles!
The 2009/10 Plug-in Vue can easily achieve a 35-40 mile EV-only range! ….and that’s what my many written & verbal exchanges with GM & Saturn have addressed since this past January when the Plug-in Vue was formally announced at the Detroit Auto Show.
Now I have read the article I believe only one of the seventeen new Opel designs is to be e-flex.
The europeans hardly need seventeen new designs and it doesnt demonstrate a big commitment to e-flex
hmmmm….
I believe later on in the year we will see the first application of lithium ion batteries, the Saturn Vue Two mode hybrid will have them first. Then these the Plug-in- will follow.
The 2009 Cobalt pics are similar to what little we know about the Volt.
And will undoubtedly be similar to the Astra.
Im not sure if the Volt is an icon or a myth.
I personally dont care as long as GM produces a E-REV specification vehicle, lots of them…
Bernie #12
I don’t think that Rick would disagree on the majority of points. Just keep in mind that as you stated it took at least 30 years to arrive at this state, so it’s not easy to inherit a mess like this. And it’s going to get worse before it gets better because that’s the path they’ve chosen! There can always be surprises, but from what I’ve seen, GM (the board of “D” included!) realizes that the games and timidity are over.
Now it’s all about making a commitment and weathering the storm, not so easy after decades of “hit and giggle tennis”.
That’s really good news for us Europeans.
>> a 10-mile range will likely be SHUNNED by potential buyers
You continue to assert this concept, yet still haven’t explained how this is even possible for a TWO-MODE vehicle.
How does the concept of “range” apply to a full hybrid?
MPG BOOST is the proper measure, not range. The reasoning why is simple too. Consider the electric assist provided at highway speeds. The top electric-only speed for Two-Mode is 32 MPH, right?
There is a need of series plugin-hybrids in germany! It’s the future!
Looks like they are getting ready for us.
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/164/story/437656.html
Take Care
Arch
I do believe GM is putting al their eggs into the basket….I’m happy to see it.
I still want to see the BEV version of the Volt however, but am glad GM is talking about eflex across multiple lines.
GM is on the only right path available to the big 3 automakers, and it is clear that the engineering side of the house is meeting the challenge. My only fear is that the UAW is going to derail this effort. I can’t understand why their axle plant workers are out on strike - do they just not want to have jobs? The big 3 are all teetering on the edge of oblivion, and the unions just can’t conceive of the business going under. They need to look at Ford, who just had to sell off Land Rover and Jaguar to get liquidity. They need to look at Chrysler, which is in receivership.
I had pretty much assumed that GM would use the Opel Ecotec 1.0 litre three cylinder 12 valve Ecotec direct injection engine, which from its inception would be flex-fuel capable. Its also slated to be turbo charged as well.
As many of you know, I have posted on this on both the old and new forums. Check out the links:
http://media.gm-powertrain.at/powertrain-media/media/images/200308200001_01.jpg
http://www.conceptcarz.com/view/highResPhoto.aspx?carID=13010&photoID=170833&eventID=0&catID=0
http://www.evworld.com/article.cfm?storyid=1161
It’s a 1.3 liter turbocharged diesel four cylinder engine for these opel “E Flex Drive System” and no this effort want be derail.
11 NorthernPiker:
No kidding. Check ot the piece on world gas prices on the Yahoo news page this morning:
UK $8.38
Netherlands $8.37
France $8.07
Germany $7.86
#26 bruce g:
Where did you find the 2009 Cobalt pics? I would really like to see them.
13 Bernie Torbik
A fine piece of writing and a passionate one which made me also sad about GM, one of my all time favorites from the ’60s.
Some one may ask you, are you not American and are you not proud of it but I would say that it requires courage and love to tell the king that he is naked. Some times I have also criticized GM for the present state of affairs but I cannot say for sure what GM needs to do or whether Rick Wagoner will be able to bring it back from the track it has fallen for the last so many years, but I wish that happens sooner than later. I have always felt that GM was taking a calculated risk in fully committing itself with VOLT and E-FLEX concepts. As wagoner himself has mentioned that it was the only way for GM for the recovery.
When ( I dare not say- and if ) VOLT comes out that will be the most crucial period and that may indeed prove to be turning point for the better for GM
Any lastest testing Photos?
“The bad news is the light I see is shining from the front of a huge freight train.”
…opinion
“GM…cannot…compete with the rest of the world’s automakers.”
…Can’t GM? I thought GM was competitive. Doesn’t GM sell a lot of vehicles?
“…what’s killing us is a legacy of debts and obligations we cannot possibly repay.”
…What debts are not being repayed?
“…GM…made promises to our workers without any understanding of how expensive those promises would become.”
…What promises weren’t understood by GM managers?
“Our obligations have made it impossible for us to invest in the capital equipment we need to build more efficient, more reliable, and more comfortable cars.”
…I though GM was investing in e-flex, e-rev, Opel. Isn’t that the topic of this thread?
“Our aging plants and infrastructure make it impossible for us to compete with our foreign competitors.”
…isn’t GM rebuidling plants and infrastructure? Isn’t GM competing?
“Have you ridden in a BMW lately? Or the new Honda? Those cars are exceptional – built with new tools to incredibly small design tolerances. We simply cannot build cars approaching that quality anymore. ”
…Have you driven a Cadillac lately?
“In a very real way, our debts are strangling us and killing us, bit by bit, a little each year. They bound us up, causing our muscles of innovation to atrophy…”
The Volt is not innovation?
“Last year, we suffered the biggest annual loss of any carmaker in history – $38 billion. And now we’re well on our way to another disastrous year. ”
Didn’t most informed people expect this to be a bad year for automakers? I remember reading stories to that affect.
“…we cannot make enough money selling cars to afford the service on our $33 billion debt load. ..[and] the estimated $47 billion we owe to fund our retirees’ health care. Or the $11 billion we owe in cash pensions. These debts are killing us.”
…Really? Is the financial situation that dire? SGM couldn’t possibly sell enough vehicles to remain a viable company?
Does everyone agree that GM is doomed? I haven’t heard such dire straits from other financial analysts. What’s the answer, not paying decent wages and providing decent benefits? I guess GM can shift to overseas. That could reduce overhead. Maybe GM should renege on paying for promised pensions and health care.
#39 ThombDbhomb:
Our family may not be the biggest Chevrolet loyalists around, but I bet we are in the 90th percentile. Between our business and our family, we own 4 Chevrolet cars and 3 trucks, from 1017 to 2006.
The reason I participate here is that I am deeply concerned for the future of GM. I doubt that anyone here would argue that they clung to their strategy of trucks and SUVs, to the neglect of cars and fuel economy, for far too long I doubt that even Mr. Wagoner and Mr. Lutz would argue that.
If they do not get some product into the stores, sooner rather than later, which people want to buy in the face of $4+/gallon gas, the future does not look good. So I believe that every voice in the chorus engouraging that is all to the good.
BTW, I share your sentiments about decent wages and benefits for US workers. On the day that we export the last manufacturing job, we cease to exist as a first world country, IMHO. I don’t look for someone’s flag lapel pin. I look at what kind of car they drive.
Once again, I highy recommend “Bad Money” by Kevin Phillips. Though non-fiction, it’s even more scary that the scariest Stephen King thriller, but I believe that it speaks directly to these issues.
#40 Noel Park
Sooo, you’re the Highlanders
#41 Koz:
Don’t get me wrong, I agree with Mr. Torbik on many levels. I am just responding to Thomb’s question as to whether GM is doomed. My answer is, not quite yet, but time’s a wastin’.
We are Corvette racers in our own little way. I think that I have a fair appreciation of how hard it is to win your class at Le Mans, Sebring, the 24 Hours of Daytona, and all of the other venues where Corvettes have won races and championships in the last few years.
I believe, as an article of faith, that anyone who can do that can almost literally do anything. Therefore, the talent and the committment clearly exist within the corporation to design and develop products which can compete with anyone. I have said here many times that the problem is not one of raw engineering and product development talent. The problem is one of management providing the inspiration and the leadership to use that awsome talent to retake the technological high ground.
God send that the Volt will not be too little, too late. Many other equally cutting edge products are necessary to make up the numbers to support the corporation. 100,000 Volts in 2012 is not enough to turn the ship around, IMHO. This is why I keep nattering on about 1.4 turbo Cobalts, etc. Gas mileage is where it’s at boys.
Let’s see: 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 1.4 liter turbo-four/ 1.2-liter turbo-diesel Four, 2009 Chevrolet Beat 1.2-liter Four(Bas Plus Mild-hybrid System, 2009 -2010 Saab 9-1 Gasoline/Diesel-E Flex Plug-in - Drive System, 2009 Chevrolet MPV/ SaturnMPV (Delta 2 Platforum) etc. I’v said before and I’ll said again, ” E Flex Drive System is design for ” small/compact, car platorums”, etc, .
>> God send that the Volt will not be too little, too late.
That ship has already sunk. GM’s declaration of “stop gap” fought the very advancement of battery technology they now seek.
The miracle came from Prius & Camry-Hybrid being successes despite GM fighting so fiercely hard against that market. And still now, there is no competing vehicles available. Heck, even with Volt, there will not.
The problem is Volt won’t serve the mass market. It will do well in the category of those willing to pay more up-front for a plug-in. But in the high-volume selling range that doesn’t require a plug, forget it. Of course, a Volt configured for that is still quite realistic… though, way too late… since the need is here already. And even then, it would certainly be too small to compete with Camry-Hybrid or the upcoming Fusion-Hybrid.
That biggest market segment needs something to buy. BAS isn’t efficient enough and Two-Mode was designed with large engine vehicles in mind. What will GM sell to those looking for a high-efficiency Malibu or Aura?
Let me say this again, ” E Flex Plug In Dive System is a flexaible system it can be put on any car or chassis of a car, and it’s not too late. They will sell them a Malibu E Flex Plug in Drive System.
#44 Speedy:
Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. Bring it on.
#45 john1701a:
Well it’s hard to argue with you. I just refuse to give up quite yet. It’s like a giant flywheel that takes a long time to wind down. We can only hope that stark reality brings forward the will to wind it up again.
The products exist in the world wide corporation. They are selling Opels and Vauxhalls into $8/gal gas in Europe. I believe that the labor cost structure in Europe is every bit as tough as it is here, so I have a tough time with that excuse.
I can only hope that the handwriting on the wall has gotten big enough that plans are in place to deal with these issues. Playing catchup is a b***h, however.
Let the true be know this whole country is going backwards and still going backwards, that”s bs.
#36 noel
I haven’t seen any 2009 Cobalt pics, but of course one can see 2008 pics. These have considerable resemblance to the taped up versions of the Volt in the Malibu grill, the side windows, and rear (wing and all). No doubt the Volt will have some styling adjustments (as there are many among the various Cobalt models), but I think we are going to see an electric Cobalt to a greater or lesser degree. It would be sensible from the perspective of getting an EREV out the door asap.
“Does everyone agree that GM is doomed? I haven’t heard such dire straits from other financial analysts. What’s the answer, not paying decent wages and providing decent benefits? I guess GM can shift to overseas. That could reduce overhead. Maybe GM should renege on paying for promised pensions and health care.”
*** *** *****
GM is not doomed, but don’t expect a turnaround to be overnight. They’ve got a lot of problems, and the adjustment to their business model will not be w/o growing pains however necessary it was. Actually it was a matter of survival.
WRT health benefits for retirees, this was settled in the recent GM UAW agreement whereby GM transferred about 36 bil to the VEBA (voluntary employee benefit assoc) which is controlled by the UAW. It’s now the UAW’s responsibility to manage/invest this fund and take care of pensioner’s future health care needs, so that portion is essentially off GM’s books. That is in fact very good news for GM, and any future shortages/ COLA etc is up to the UAW’s VEBA to solve.
Noel.
I typed 2009 Cobalt into google. There is one dated 8 April so I guess it is the one due for relese at the end of this year. The styling indicates they would be having difficulties with the back seat room.
http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080404.002/2009-chevrolet-cobalt-ss-sedan-revealed
ps, I can spell, but not before breakfast.
#50 Grizzly
Good point about the agreement between GM/UAW on health benefits for retirees. I guess that makes #14 Bernie Torbik incorrect about the “…estimated $47 billion we owe to fund our retirees’ health care.” I thought his claims should be challenged to seperate fact from fiction.
With GM’s recent major investments in cellulosic ethanol production, the Volt, the Opel, lithium battery technologies and hydrogen fuel cell research we appear to have a significant transformation underway at GM that should provide outstanding long term benefits for everyone.
I look forward to seeing the “Volt” in production and if the test “mule” is a Chevy Malibu it would be interesting to learn how the battery and drivetrain perform in the larger Malibu chassis. Maybe we’ll be surprised with a plug-in Volt and a plug-in Malibu by 2010?
srschrier,
GM are full of suprises, so lets hope we do get a e-flex malibu soon.
I dont know what marketing advantages they get from these suprises, I guess secretly they all love the glam and razmataaz of the unveilings and auto shows.
If they were doing well i would have to accept that .
#45 john1701a:
You make some good points…but I do not believe “That ship has already sunk”. Maybe, the drainage pumps are pushing toward full throttle with the current gas/diesel prices. GM runs a profitable business in North America with the large vehicles alone, but uses their more efficient vehicles as a drainage pump…to use your analogy. The culture of GM North America needs to change, and it has been at slow pace. Making the UAW responsible for their benefits is good start. However, I wonder what will happen if the benefits start to suffer. Will the UAW look for a bailout? What deep pockets will step in? Hint: One of the upper managers of the organization is leaving the position after 8 years in office.
Jeff #56
“However, I wonder what will happen if the benefits start to suffer. Will the UAW look for a bailout?”
*** *** ***
The important thing is that that’s the UAW’s problem, not GM’s. If the UAW went bust it might be a good thing. Why in 2008 are we even dealing with unions in the auto industry, at all? It’s not that difficult to get some training and move into an emerging field that pays better. This is not 1921!
Warning: a rant…
I admire the folks that aspire to encourage others to help clean up the environment and lessen our dependence of support from nations that are not friends of this country. But since most people are so far removed from the effects or can avoid most of it, other things get priority. Besides “Big Brother” will fix it…right? People need a re-education. The US should be leading on environment issues.
As for the “stop gap”, it is explained by American culture. Always wanting to make the giant leap forward…instead of just moving forward. An asset and liability.
GM gambled everything on fuel cells for future passenger vehicles…and based on current events, they lost. It even has given an impression of stall tactics…maybe not just an impression. “Just good enough batteries” is taking a lead. I’m glad that one technology which can help clean things up is making progress. Even though it is hurting GM.
I would guess some high level government talks are occurring on reducing gas/diesel prices. But how about talks on reducing large battery pack prices? raw material prices? Increasing performance? Increasing safety? Many government man-hours are spent on oil prices.
Have you ever asked your congressman about talks on large battery pack issues? Not hybrids or EVs…be more specific. Currently, the battery packs are the economic barrier to more hybrids and EVs. This is a smaller “giant leap” than an EV in every garage. Fix this one…and start on the next blocking issue.
I know “battery pack talks” sound premature or naive, but it could not hurt. It can be no more naive than talks on steroid use in major league baseball? What if the battery pack interest grew to the level of fuel cells? Or dare I say it…the interest level of steroid use in major league baseball.
We’ve got people bashing GM management for poor decisions, we’ve got people bashing GM labor (unions) for costing too much, and we’ve got people bashing the government. Who isn’t to blame? Me.
While we are thinking about GM management, does anyone know what their desired business model is?
Is there a strategic plan?
Noel Park,
Sorry, I was just poking a little fun at your typo, although I broke a lot of glass in the process.
“Between our business and our family, we own 4 Chevrolet cars and 3 trucks, from 1017 to 2006.”
These are supposed to be model years, correct?
Good news for Europeans, Opel is the 4th make in Belgium behind Citroen, Peugeot and Volkswagen.
Note that sales of news cars are dropping rapidely since the beginning of the year, same story bas is the US. More and more people are keeping their old cars waiting for a solution. The prices of gas and diesel are increasing from day to day, …
I’ll bet GM wishes they hadn’t sold the NiMH battery tecnology to Texaco who is sitting on it. They had the technology right in their hands to power electrics today. Now they have to wait to 2010 for the Li-ion packs to be ready. EV-1’s would still be on the road with their NiMH packs going strong like the ones in the Toyota RAV-4 EV. The future is electrics here and in Europe.
ThombDbhomb #60:
But you are also to blame, if you have been buying big SUV’s for the last 15 years or so…..
GM will build what people want to buy. Now that people have decided to stop buying BIG gas hogs, GM will stop making them, and begin to make what people tell them they want.
The question is not if GM knows what to do. The question is: Can they do it quickly enough and in enough volume to stop millions of sales going to foreign competition????
#62 Koz:
Yeah, it’s old, but not quite that old. 1917.
Gentlemen,
We can throw the blame for our mess in all directions. The bottom line is that we have elected officials to office that only have two things on their mind: This election and the next election !!
No one wants to commit to a energy policy which should have begun way back in the 70’s. Before blaming GM or our government lets take hard look in the mirror.
May I quote Mr. Jay Bookman editorial editor for the Alanta Journal-Constitution: ” We don’t need leaders to tell us how great we are, we need leaders willing to tell us that we’ve gotten ourselves into a bad mess and it’s going to take hard work, sacrifice and cooperation to fix it! The alternative is the decline of a great nation!!”
ThombDbhomb #60:
We are ALL to blame. But GM has to shoulder much of the blame. They should have led us, not followed us. They should have known better.
Let’s hope they have learned their lesson and we have learned ours.
We have much too much to lose.
N Riley #68:
I really have to disagree with your last post. It is not GM’s job to try to convince us to be better people. It is GM’s job to make as much profit as possible for their stock holders. When gas was $1.00 per gallon, had GM put the Volt on the market, at a high price point, it would have been a complete disaster and laughed at by both the press and the public. It would have truly been a niche vehicle. And the board of directors would have fired everyone involved.
Please don’t give me the EV-1 story, or tell me to watch the movie. That car was too expensive and would not have worked anywhere but in fair weather climates. We have beaten that horse to death many times over. There are people that will never believe that, and there is nothing anyone could ever do to change their minds.
Also, lets not forget that Lithium-Ion batteries for car use were not available even a few years ago. They are barely available now…
And finally, we have to remember that in mid 2001, gas prices were still less than $1.30 per gallon. So who cared?
I guess what I am saying is that hindsight is always 20-20. GM appears to be on a better path now. I just hope they can get to the finish line ASAP!!
#52 bruce g:
Thanks. I finally found that one too. Alas, I am able to curb my enthusiasm over the styling. If they can get the mileage up to a decent level however, all will be forgiven.
#60 ThombDbhomb:
Don’t get too cocky. You don’t know who’s reading this stuff.
#69 Jim I:
Well I have been trying hard to be positive about the prospects of GM here recently. But, if their job is to make as much profit as possible for their stockholders, they are doing a d**n poor job iof it, IMHO.
The car companies who are making money are the ones who could see past the ends of their noses and read the handwriting on the wall about oil and gas prices. I think it’s called “strategic planning” - something $1 million+/year executives are supposed to do.
Noel:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!
I said that is what they are “supposed” to do, not what they are actually doing…………..
I also do find it amazing that the American auto makers do not have an entire class of reasonably priced cars that get 40+ miles per gallon already in the showrooms. I am hardly an expert in world oil production and supply, but I sure knew this day was going to be here, and all I do is read the local newspaper, watch the news on TV, and read a few magazines. I am actually surprised it took this long to get to $3.50+ per gallon!
In early 2004, when gas first hit $2.00 per gallon, they should have each started putting together a design team with one goal - to squeeze out as many miles per gallon as possible from an ICE based car to seat four or five people. It would already be, or just about to be in the showrooms right now. And they would not be losing all those sales right now to the Asian rim manufacturers!
And the real difference between those executives and owners like me of a small company? When our business goes down, so does our salary…………… I think the BOD of all the car makers should put a similar plan into effect! GM, Ford, and Chrysler are losing money by the ton, but these guys are not affected at all!!!! What a deal…………….
Sorry for the rant!
#65 Jim I
I drive a ‘92 Honda Civic. I am the original owner.
#68 N Riley
Yes, my point was “We are ALL to blame.” Some blame management, some blame labor, some blame government. We are all in this together. The system results in what it resulted in.
#70 noel park
My “cockiness” was meant as “I am right, others are wrong” satire.
#71 Jim I:
Right. I own my own business too, so I am right there with you. And they may bail out Bear Stearns for $30 billion, but they won’t lift a finger to keep us above water.
#72 ThombDbhomb:
Yeah, I know. I was just trying to be funny myself. Sorry if it didn’t work.
You don’t think that the CIA or the FBI or the NSA, or whoever, are reading this blog? Frankly, I wish that they were. They might learn something.
Ted -
NiMH is a looser. Don’t confuse LiION with Advanced LiION (LiFePO4) … big difference. EVs will never be viable until something with the cost, life, power, convenience, and efficiency of LiFePO4 batteries are mass produced. We’re just not there yet … but we will be. In 2010.