Comments on: Ford Calls the Chevy Volt a Hail Mary Play

By: Duane Hamblin

Duane Hamblin — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 06:11:01 +0000

Those who have been watching Ultra Capacitor developements will see that if the Zenn- EEStor project works out, all GM will need to do is throw out the battery, drop in the UC storrage unit and and they will have an 80 MPH, 250 mile range EV that can recharge in as little as 5 minutes. Ford better be ready for that.
referance ultracapacitors.org

By: 1AngryCustomer

1AngryCustomer — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:54:24 +0000

I am just really hoping that this car isn’t going to cost consumers 35-40K just to buy. I’m hoping that GM will be able to provide it to consumers that are a little more financially modest. I would love to see everyone own a hybrid or electric car that will leave big oil execs crying in their beer. The Chevy Volt would dramatically change my budget in gas that it would save. It’s my “hail mary” so to speak, and if I need to start saving now to buy one in 2012 I would like to know about it. I wish Green Technology was more available to everyone.
I also see SA finally deciding to produce more crude as the act of a drug dealer just trying to keep people interested.
No matter what happens, even if oil does go down substantially, I’m hoping that people are fed up enough that everyone will demand new technology and energy resources. I don’t think we can put all of our eggs in one basket so to speak.

By: john meschede

john meschede — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:22:32 +0000

It does appear that oil is on its way out. Remember 25 years ago how rare front wheel drive cars were? Now most cars on the road are front wheel drive, The same will probably happen with electrics. There will still be a few gasoline powered cars in 20 years, but they will be expensive oddities driven by grandpa types who don’t trust electric technology.As far as who makes electrics, I sincerely hope it will be GM. Hopefully, the Japanese won’t take over GM and other US car manufacturers. But, Politics will play the decisive role in that. November may be the start of a new future for America and the Volt.

By: Ken

Ken — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:32:19 +0000

I think that Ted Miller at Ford might be right. Today (07/02/2008) GM’s stock just went below $10.00, levels not seen since 1954.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Dispatch/080702markets.aspx

This reminds me about the automaker (Studebaker) who developed the Avanti, a revolutionry vehicle at the time, in the hopes of saving the company. Bottom line: Studebaker failed but managed to produce a beautifully designed car.

See for yourself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_NHmppIPLg

Let’s hope GM succeeds with the Volt–I think GM is on the right tract, but Ford knows that American car makers are on a “wing and a prayer”

By: Don

Don — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:41:47 +0000

GM has a winner here because the body styling is superior and at 30-35K price point they could own the market. The piece parts are there for US technology to lead in this market. If oil speculators would just invest in solar PPA’s and Walmart, malls and larger businesses would allow companies like Envision Solar to install parking lots of solar “trees” as recharging stations to eliminate peoples concerns over battery trip life, The “Volt” could own the market! Current solar technology doest have enough power to “rapid charge” at these trees but it does create the “station” which could be supplemented by the grid to wihch it would be attached. Put the recharging stations where we PARK. And oh BTW our cars are protected from the sun! Covered parking isn’t that usually a premium? Take a look at a company called the “Better Place” he’s getting investors to invest in recharging stations whwere we’d need to stop and refuel or switch batteries. Why not refule when you’re stopped?
Why doesn’t GM team with Walmart for starters, because of the large number of stores and a large firm offering PPA agreements to fill every Walmart parking lot full of solar trees/recharging stations. BTW, the investment in solar in their lots is a good investment even if the recharging station deosn’t happen, zero risk!Or the PPA offers to install a solar tree in every parking lot of every person’s work who buts a Volt? What about a single tree for the home of the owner. If they have a garage it could be their patio, carport, etc… GM could reinvent themselves if GMAC would step up and be the PPA. Can you imagine the turnaround of this company if they sold the car and got the recharge fuel costs also? Make the Volt reliable! It has the style. Toyota Camry has proven reliability comes first to consumers then style. What if GM had them both! Wish I wasn’t an IT peddler and had the funds to pull all of this great American technology together. It could be a whole new era of independence from oil while creating new jobs in manufacturing, construction and the best benefit saving the earth of all the carbon emissions. Get off your butt GM!

By: Rogelio Cisneros

Rogelio Cisneros — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 07:11:21 +0000

We are looking at the future of cars ,they will all be electric in about 20 years no more oil. Once the volt comes out and has record sales they will all jump in the ban wagon.Its happend before.It just needs 2 magnet generators that does not use any fuel and you got a car that will run for a long time with out any stops to refuel.Im allready working on the generators for the Volts.And im working on a Suburban with electric motors on the wheels.The japan made electric wheel motor is great will work great on a Suburban , 4 motors shoud give abot 300 HP.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:22:54 +0000

Recyclable energy sources, such as batteries are the key to any future portable energy. The volt certainly looks good on paper, but what about the cost? Will the average American household be able to afford the suspected $30,000.00+ price tag? Ford has been burnt by their hybrid product line and has exhausted some substantial resources investing in hybrids. However, dependence upon Toyota for the battery and other components was a huge mistake. The Volt is a great concept and hopefully it will be a success story, but it will still be manufactured by overpaid unionized workers who must wake up to the fact that unions are just like fossil fuels, a thing of the past that drive the price of cars to ridiculous prices and breed complacency.

By: DonC

DonC — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:59:25 +0000

There isn’t anything wrong with Ford bringing in smaller cars from other markets. That’s smart.

Then again what else can they do? Ford knows the world of cars is changing fast and it has admitted it has been caught flat footed. In the old world a change of .5% a year in the vehicle mix was major. Now they’re dealing with a 4% change in a couple of months.

Moving on the VOLT is a great idea. GM will sell all they make and it will give the brand a halo effect it hasn’t had in years. Ford is just scrambling. Do you think they wish they hadn’t sold Think now?

By: dagwood55

dagwood55 — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:31:57 +0000

Ford is right, the Volt is a Hail Mary play. And, given the miniscule volumes planned for 2011 and 2012 it is not a “game changer” in the way that GM needs a “game changer,” that would be a “revenue and profit” game changer.

Ford’s plan takes into account some grim realities… Toyota has a big lead in hybrids and will not lightly give that up. Ford doesn’t have a ton of money to waste. The Volt program is fraught with risks.

Ford’s plan also takes into account some market fundamentals… RE-EVs will not make up the bulk of the market in 2011 and probably not for a few years down the road; there will be plenty of money in conventional drivetrains.

Ford’s plan also takes into account some advantages that Ford has; they do have some superior small and mid-size cars both domestically and overseas. The overseas vehicles can be adapted, relatively inexpensively and quickly, to US needs and there’s some polishing and enhancement of their US fleet that will probably boost sales. Ford’s Fusion launch and Escape history look good for an American manufacturer. Among industry observers, if you asked which domestic has demonstrated that they can get into the quality game, I think people are most likely to say, “Ford.” And, in NA, there is a sizeable fraction of people who will no longer buy a car from Detroit but there’s a much larger fraction of people who won’t buy a car from the Asians. This disparity allows domestic cars to deliver a little less for a little more and get away with it.

Ford’s plan is a good match to these realities. Ford hopes to see bottom line improvements from their plan’s fundamentals in a year or two (maybe less) and Ford probably also hopes to survive long enough get a boost from Chrysler’s meltdown.

Ford has a toehold in hybrids. They can keep development up in that at a low level and make a bigger play, later on, when they have more resources.

I think there’s a real chance that the Volt will be one of the things that sinks GM. It’s nothing but expense, for a company that’s already losing money and cash, through, at best, 2013. Shifting resources toward product improvement that will help them in this decade and delaying the Volt would have been a smarter play.

By: Chris S.

Chris S. — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:21:08 +0000

When will Ford learn. Both GM and Ford missed out on the conventional hybrid market, while Toyota has been making huge strides with its Prius. I give kudos to GM for taking a huge risk that I ultimately think will pay off. They see the long term need for ending our oil addiction and improving the environment. Ford however is still stuck with that mindset that it had when gas electric hybrids were initially under development. I think this will end up being a huge mistake for Ford, and it will take years for them to catch up in terms of technology and mass production.