Grab our RSS Feed

AND

Obama Says GM Will be Strong, Leaner, and Meaner, and Rick Wagoner Sends Us His Regards

May 24th, 2009 | Posted in: Financial

President Obama was interviewed on C-SPAN on Friday from which the following comments were derived.

The President told the reporter he wanted the government to get out of the automotive business as soon as possible, and said the government would help any auto workers who lost their job to be effectively retrained.

Obama was not asked whether GM would be allowed to enter bankruptcy, and did not mention the possibility.

“Ultimately, I think that GM is going to be a strong company, and we are going to be pulling out as soon as the economy recovers and they’ve completed their restructuring,” he said. “My hope … is that we will see both GM and Chrysler having emerged from this restructuring process leaner, meaner, more competitive with a set of product lines that appeal to consumers, good cars that are fuel efficient and that look at the markets of tomorrow.”

Obama also predicted a rebound in the automotive market when the economy recovers.

“You are looking at a substantial market that is going to be available for U.S. automakers if they’ve made some good decisions now, and if they are building the kinds of fuel-efficient, high-performance cars that American consumers are hungry for,” he said.

“I think GM and Chrysler can do that,” added Obama. “We’re confident that they can emerge and take advantage of that new market and actually be very profitable and thrive, but it means going through some pain now.”

Also I received an email back from former CEO Rick Wagoner today that I thought I would share. After he was asked to leave I sent him a note of well wishes and thanked him for greenlighting the Volt. He wrote back:

Lyle: I’m finally digging into my overstuffed inbox, and so belatedly wanted to thank you for your message and support, which I greatly appreciated. Keep cheerleading for the Volt, pls! Wish you all the best. Rick

ENTIRE OBAMA INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

Posted by: Lyle

59 Responses to “Obama Says GM Will be Strong, Leaner, and Meaner, and Rick Wagoner Sends Us His Regards”

Ford Worker Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 8:16 am

All I want to see is that GM and Chrysler liquidate soon, and Ford become the only American company successful against the Japanese. Most people now working at Ford more or less gload over the fate of GM and Chrysler. All companies who stole money from tax payer deserve nothing but disdain. I hope GM will transfer Volt technology to Ford!

Go and check out your local Ford dealer for excellent deals!

(Quote)
Brett Pavel Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 8:22 am

You’ve got to be kidding? He finally wrote Lyle on his way out the door? Honestly, Michael Moore could have been following Rick for a sequel to “Roger and Me”. Good by and don’t let the door hit your *ss, Mr Wagoner.

(Quote)
Jason M. Hendler Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 9:02 am

I read a Salon article today that claimed Wagoner “admitted” it was a mistake to kill the EV1 and that he should have put a range extender in it years ago.

First, I don’t trust a word Salon scribes say. Second, they boast about Obama “firing” Wagoner, so the bias is clear. Third, hindsight is 20/20, but putting a small generator in an EV is not obvious, as no other auto maker has thought of it either.

(Quote)
statik Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 9:03 am

I think Mr. Obama could be considered a little biased on this topic, lol.

I think most of us can spot the platitudes in his speech by now and are more than a little worried about GM’s future, government GSB/restructure or not. I’m not really sure how he can say things like he thinks ‘Chrysler can do it…be profitable and thrive’ and not smirk.

As for his statement of the return of 14, 15, 16 million vehicle years soon and ‘looking at a substantial market that is going to be available for U.S. automakers’. He is right…it will return, but GM/Chrysler will not have the ability to recapture their historical shares, because the vehicles/platforms are being discontinued and nothing is in the pipeline to replace them. (and because they were already trending down before this got started)

GM and Chrysler are being materially damaged in this process. We are already at June…they have been in virtual lockdown since last september. Thats 10 months of just closing plants, cutting cars, hurting their reputations and slashing all the R&D…and we still are not done.

GM itself has suspended or cancelled all products in development that were not already almost to market (other than the Volt)…and it takes 3 years to get a project from paper to production (and that takes a lot of operating cash).

The car industry is going to return to 16 million at some point, but GM is not going to have 28% of it, like when the aforementioned Mr. Wagoner took over the company….it is going to be more like 13%.

Sidenote: Must be tough to be President…you can say whatever you like (well almost) and be realistic when you are running, but the day you take office you have to put on the ‘Presidential Blinders of Optimism’ when talking to the public, then take them off and get real the second you step away from the mic. Clearly this is one of those ‘catch 22′ situations here for the administration

(Quote)
PLJ Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 9:15 am

Obama apparently has his priorities straight. Rescuing GM and the rest of the American automobile industry is the most important thing he can do for our economy.

And the Chevy Volt is the most important vehicle in GM’s immediate future.

(Quote)
Tagamet Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 9:19 am

Statik@4 said in part:
“…Sidenote: Must be tough to be President…you can say whatever you like (well almost) and be realistic when you are running, but the day you take office you have to put on the ‘Presidential Blinders of Optimism’ when talking to the public, then take them off and get real the second you step away from the mic. Clearly this is one of those ‘catch 22′ situations here for the administration”

Yeah, it’s tough to deal with reality (I tried it once and didn’t like it). The current Prez has a full plate and is now finding out how hard it is to actually get something good accomplished.
Be well,
Tag
LJGTVWOTR!!**********NPNS

(Quote)
Tagamet Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 10:10 am

LYLE:

Congrats on the congrats from Mr. Wagoner. Cool and I’m glad that he’s still pulling for you/us.
Be well,
Tag
LJGTVWOTR!!

(Quote)
NZDavid Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 10:17 am

Good on ya Rick, late as usual.

/Woo hoo, first after Tag

(Quote)
Tagamet Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 10:20 am

NZDavid said:
/Woo hoo, first after Tag

I’m guessing you don’t get out much (lol).
Be well my friend,
Tag
LJGTVWOTR!!

(Quote)
statik Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 10:38 am

#6 Tagamet said:

Statik@4 said in part:
“…Sidenote: Must be tough to be President…you can say whatever you like (well almost) and be realistic when you are running, but the day you take office you have to put on the ‘Presidential Blinders of Optimism’ when talking to the public, then take them off and get real the second you step away from the mic. Clearly this is one of those ‘catch 22′ situations here for the administration”

Yeah, it’s tough to deal with reality (I tried it once and didn’t like it). The current Prez has a full plate and is now finding out how hard it is to actually get something good accomplished.
Be well,
Tag
LJGTVWOTR!!**********NPNS
==================

I don’t envy his job at all. He is in a no-win situation here. He has to say all the right things to not spook the system…but then act pretty much the opposite way.

I see him as really having a choice to make. Do the right thing, the responsible thing…the unpopular thing, which will be perceived as the wrong thing…and risk not getting re-elected, but also maybe having his term be regarded as one of the darkest in America’s ‘non-wartime’ history…or try to roll the snowball down the field further to the next guy.

The ‘hit’ is coming, and the longer it gets put off the worse it gets.

Funding/supporting social security, pensions, unemployment/benefits, state bankruptcies, housing market, auto sector, banking industry, national deficit, war funding, healthcare, climate change (etc), is a impossible task. There is no answer to it, no exit plan available…no amount of ‘rhetoric’ that can make these problems all go away.

/tough choices ahead, both painful and unpopular

(Quote)
James E Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 10:49 am

#3 – the range extender is not a new idea. Porsch came up with generator concept back in the early 1900’s.

NPNS!

(Quote)
CorvetteGuy Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 11:27 am

His Majesty Obama wants to “effectively retrain” auto workers?
To do what? Become doctors and nurses?
That seems to be the only market segment in desperate need of more workers. Unless you add in our over-extended and over- burdened military who are now used as Team America World Police.

(Quote)
JEC Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 11:50 am

12 CorvetteGuy

Plenty of govt jobs are available. They could retrain them as unemployment benefits directors

(Quote)
Jason Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 11:56 am

#12

“His Majesty” is right. Why don’t you look around, there are tons of jobs all around if you are willing to retrain yourself. I own a small business in the internet sector and we are constantly hiring and expanding. Manufacturing is not the only game in town. We train people all over the country to work for us, yes even in Detroit.

(Quote)
john1701a Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 12:12 pm

Third, hindsight is 20/20, but putting a small generator in an EV is not obvious, as no other auto maker has thought of it either.
______________________

Serial hybrids have been around for decades.

Most of the prototypes never made it far. Some actually did. In fact, that’s what many Fuel-Cell vehicles are.

The same problem remains. The battery-pack is way too expensive. Adding a generator helps a lot, but the current configuration of Volt still misses the point of reducing price down to a competitive level.

(Quote)
Electriciti Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 12:23 pm

The best way that Obama could help, not only GM, but all car manufacturers, is to wire all of our highways with magnetic strips imbeded on them every certain distances. This way, all electric cars could be self charging, by merely passing over these strips. A magnetic pick up coil under the car chasis can pick up the energy from these strips, and the car can charge its batteries without stoping

(Quote)
carcus1 Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 12:27 pm

You bet Obama’s got his plate full. Keep wrecking the dollar and watch what happens.

Have you wondered why oil prices have been climbing lately?
———-

““The Chinese numbers are pretty stunning,” said Bill O’Grady, chief markets strategist at Confluence Investment Management in St. Louis. “The Chinese are looking at prices now as a good value and they are worried about all of the dollar assets they have. They are buying everything, any raw material they can get their hands on.””

Oil price climbs to six-month high
http://www.app.com/article/20090512/BUSINESS/90512042/Oil+price+climbs+to+six-month+high

/scary stuff

(Quote)
sparks Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 12:27 pm

#10 statik

You hit the nail on the head. The OECD nations, and especially the US, have been playing kick-the-can with the full range of problems like the ones you listed, for decades. Their actions have become more and more desperate in recent years, trying to stave off the inevitable.

The “hit” is already underway but most of the populace still thinks everything is just “cyclical” and we will come out of it in a year or so. Nope. Look out when everyone realizes they’ve been scammed.

(Quote)
kent beuchert Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 12:57 pm

Obama has screwed the bondholders at the expense of the union and their $20 billion rape of GM’s bondholders (you know, the guys who HELPED GM, rathert hat the UAW pirates who screwed GM
with their $125K plus salaries. Now Obama the union -controlled stooge promises to “retrain” auto workers. What you mean “retrain?” What exactly are ths kills of this unkilled, uneducated workforce? We saw over the past two decades the idiocy of establishing “retraining” programs for GM workers who
left the company. A more completely failed program could hardly be imagined. Now Obama is promising to do that all over again. Whoopee. How about some retraining for Obama? So far 99% of his decisions have sucked.

(Quote)
carcus1 Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 1:23 pm

#17 (me) add,

Ron Paul’s Bill To Audit The Federal Reserve Now Has 179 Co-Sponsors
http://www.ronpaul.com/

(Quote)
DonC Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 1:47 pm

Whatever the failures of the Wagoner years, Rick Wagoner was always a class act. Very gracious of him.

#10 statik says “Do the right thing, the responsible thing…the unpopular thing, which will be perceived as the wrong thing”

Or far more likely what is perceived as the wrong thing would be the wrong thing. The Obama Administration is doing exactly what it indicated it would do, that is, have the companies restructure so they are competitive moving forward. It’s all in the white papers put out by the American Center for Progress going back several years. Part of this of course is making sure that positive technologies, like those found in Flex Fuel vehicles, have an infrastructure that supports them. But no matter how you look at it, the policies are well thought and are neither politically expedient nor ad hoc. Whatever they are doing, they are most certainly not kicking the problem down the road.

Suggesting that offering aid to the Detroit automakers is misguided seemingly ignores the reality that all manufacturers receive subsidies all the time. It’s difficult to imagine how the Japanese auto companies would remain competitive in the absence of continual government support. For example, Jim Press, who sat on Toyota’s Board of Directors, has recently revealed that the Japanese government paid Toyota billions to develop the split drive system found on the Prius. Another example would be the multi-billion dollar bailout extended to Toyota by the Japanese government just a few monhts ago.

The simple fact is that having automakers in financial distress is both cyclical and political. A few years ago Fiat was on death’s doorstep. Now it’s not. The same will happen with GM and Ford. They will recover and do well as the NA and global economy recovers.

But given that so many countries want an auto industry, and that every country will subsidize and protect their auto companies to effect this result, there is no obvious way to avoid this. China and Korea and India have all embarked on a politically motivated course of action that adds to the world wide supply of auto manufacturers, the natural result of which is that the world now has, and will continue to have, a chronic over supply of manufacturing capacity. And of course when you have chronic over-capacity you will always have one company or another about to go out of business. A few years ago it was Fiat. Today it is GM. A few years from now it will probably be Toyota. But this is a politically driven problem, and thinking that you can solve it with reference to financial statements is fundamentally in error. Good management and good engineering can certainly help but it can’t solve the problem.

(Quote)
Vincent Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 1:57 pm

#1 wouldn’t it have been nice to see you Auto workers just as determined to build a Great car as you are to keep your undeserved, company killing benefits and union bullshit.

(Quote)
carcus1 Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 2:21 pm

DonC @ 21,

You could have just said: ” 2 wrongs make a right.”

(Quote)
statik Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 2:44 pm

#21 DonC

That was a nice post…and while I don’t agree on some of your points, I appreciate the effort you put into it.

Personally, I don’t think there is anything cyclical about the US automotive manufacturing business. I think it has been in retreat for decades as industrialization has progresses around the world, and historical numbers on market share back me up.

I think the days of building cars in North America (Canada included) in any significant amount are numbered, and the government, while cognizant of what is happening, is petrified to let these companies go under…especially in this environment, and is propping them up.

What is cyclical about this domestic market share chart?

http://www.econosseur.com/assets_c/2008/12/UScarmarketshare2008-10-thumb-510×566.gif

If you want to talk about the Japanese giving Toyota a couple billion to develop the split drive system/Prius, that is fine…but the government was actually funding a specific project they felt was viable and could be a game changer for their company (not that I agree with a gov’t doing that). The US gov’t is tipping 100 billion here with no plan…there is no plan, no new products in the pipeline being introduced because of this money, no silver bullet for success…that money is only out there to keep people working and off the system.

To be fair, I actually argue in favor of saving GM (although not the path that was taken. I wanted them dead and resurrected last november, the past 8 months have been a waste)…but not Chrysler, that is foolish.

I think they (GM) deserve another shot here…or they should at least survive long enough until America displaces the losses from Chrysler going under (which I think they still will, 8-9 months after this GSB…provided the gov’t makes good on its ‘no more money for you’ mantra). I think it would be foolish/irresponsible for the government to let both fold concurrently.

While I believe there is no future in making cars in North America, there are still jobs here doing just that, and we need to take advantage of the time we have left with them and prolong it and try to arrest/slow the fall as long as it is efficient to do so, while trying to shift/supplant the focus to another industry as the auto sector continues to shrink. For today, that means going to two major automakers (imo)….and then to one major automaker 10-15 years from now.

/I see no reason why GM should not be last man standing here

(Quote)
carcus1 Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 3:00 pm

Statik @ 24,

” For today, that means going to two major automakers (imo)….and then to one major automaker 10-15 years from now.
/I see no reason why GM should not be last man standing here”
_____________

. . . uhh, I can think of one.

http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/overview.html

(Quote)
DonC Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 3:09 pm

#17 carcus1 says “You bet Obama’s got his plate full. Keep wrecking the dollar and watch what happens.”

This goes beyond absurd, if such a thing is possible. Obama has wrecked the dollar? If memory serves me correctly it took around 90 cents to buy a Euro when George Bush was elected. When Obama was elected, after the disastrous supply side experiment of the Bush tax cuts, it took about 145 cents. Anyone who doesn’t understand that the dollar collapsed under the watch of Bush and Republicans who controlled of the House and Senate just didn’t travel internationally very much. Wasn’t it Dick Cheney who famously said that “Deficits don’t matter”? I guess this has been transformed into “Our deficits don’t matter, the other guy’s deficits are the end of the world”.

Moreover, I’m pretty sure that the dollar is up not down in the last six months, and any recent drop is quite modest. So it’s not clear what we’re talking about here.

Finally the hand wringing over a weakening dollar seems misplaced. You can’t complain that the Chinese manipulate their currency to make the dollar artificially strong on Monday Wednesday and Friday, and then complain the dollar is weakening against the Yuan on Tuesday and Thursday. The dollar is weaker. So what? Asian goods are less competitive. NA goods are more competitive. Sorry but I don’t see a big problem with this.

(Quote)
Obama Says GM Will be Strong, Leaner, and Meaner, and Rick Wagoner « CarZonline Blog Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
carcus1 Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 3:40 pm

DonC @ 26,

You think I’m going to defend Bush? Obama/Bernanke are just picking up where Bush/Greenspan left off.

Frankly, I’m amazed at the amount of people that turn this into a Democrat vs. Republican kind of thing. I’m amazed by the amount of people that think you can just borrow, print and spend and there won’t be a consequence.

For me, this is a constitutional, fiscally responsible, limited government, free market oriented, common sense type of thing.

And hand wringing about the decline of the dollar? Yeah I’m worried. So that’s me and at least 1.3 Billion other people that are worried.

China Calls for New Global Currency
http://abcnews.go.com/International/Story?id=7156932&page=2

(Quote)
carcus1 Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 3:51 pm

#28 (me) add,

I’m also amazed at the seemingly intelligent ” Lex Luthors” on this website who apparently think that if they just had a big enough computer and a reeally fast internet connection, they could control the world’s car industry and solve our energy problems sooo much better than a competitive free market ever could.

(Quote)
ccombs Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 3:58 pm

I too am annoyed at people who pin this on either Obama or Bush. BOTH of them have spent like drunken sailors. Sure Obama has spent more, but Bush was at least supposed to be a fiscal conservative. Many of these entitlement programs being created, like those in the Great Depression, are never going to go away. People get used to them, and God help the politician who wants to take away the candy the babies have gotten used to. This is all very distressing, whether one is a dem or gop.

(Quote)
DonC Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 4:01 pm

#34 statik

Just a couple of things. One is that the industry is cyclical. Very few people have to buy a car at any particular moment, so we end up with something of a boom and bust cycle. But that does not mean that, as you point out, there aren’t some trends. You can see this in the following graph, which plots GM’s operating profit margin over time (1960-2008). The numbers show boom and bust cycles but, despite all the ups and downs, the trend is remarkably steady in its downward trend.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ov-pT1x-W8Y/SdGSsaE3kMI/AAAAAAAADOw/XeyaqcpOd1k/s1600-h/gm.png

With this type of gyration being lucky can be more important than being good. For example, Ford is far better positioned than GM at the moment but that has more to do with the timing of refinancing than anything else.

As for being able to produce cars in NA, that is very possible if not very likely going forward. Note that in your graph the international group’s market share spiked upwards around 1995. This corresponds to the 1995 trade agreement, negotiated under the threat of super 301 trade sanctions, obligating the Japanese car companies to produce more vehicles in the US. They did and you can see the result in your graph. So it’s not that cars can’t be produced in NA, it’s that some companies seem less capable of doing this than others. (Why this is true relates to both labor rates and management effectiveness).

My prediction would be that increasing transportation costs will make importing cars into the US increasingly difficult. As the costs of transportation rise, long supply chains make less and less sense. During much of last year all businesses, including Walmart, moved away from imports because the cost of transport made those goods less competitive. For example, high transport costs were the reason why Tesla changed its mind about having its battery packs made overseas. Given that the expanding world economy makes a rise in transportation costs virtually certain, it would be likely that supply chains will be shortened and cars manufactured as close to a market as possible.

(Quote)
Adrian Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 4:17 pm

DonC,

The only reason the economy rebounded as well as it did after 9/11 was the tax cuts. Don’t revise history. It is very obvious the lower tax rates everyone had boosted business. The political problem of Bush were his huge spending habit that Obama has taken to absurd levels. Higher taxes, to support both Bush and Obama’s spending habits will cripple the USA.

Bush was no conservative. This debate is limited government versus government who is in control. Answer this question who fears who? Does government fear the people or do the people fear government? The previous refers to Liberty the latter is Tyranny as put forth by Thomas Jefferson. I would say many would agree the path we are on is going away from liberty.

What does this mean for the Volt? It should stand on it’s design and engineering merits. It should not be force fed by government dictate (either CAFE or other regulations). The former is Liberty (by our ability to choose) and the latter is tyranny. I state the Volt is a good platform to choose from in 5+ years. But watching GM these last few months is sickening.

(Quote)
DaV8or Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 5:07 pm

Statik #24-

“I think the days of building cars in North America (Canada included) in any significant amount are numbered, and the government, while cognizant of what is happening, is petrified to let these companies go under…especially in this environment, and is propping them up.”

——————————————————————————————–

Then why do foreign companies keep building new assembly plants here? How come it is viable to have car production in Germany and Japan but not here? Are you suggesting that nearly all car production will be in Asia soon and production will stop in Europe and Japan too? I’m not saying you’re wrong, probably the contrary, but why do you feel the North American continent is not capable of building cars at a profit anymore? What would it take in your view to turn this around?

(Quote)
carcus1 Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 5:24 pm

Shifting the Center of Automotive Manufacturing
As foreign investment increases, the Southeastern United States is on its way to becoming the next automotive manufacturing capital.
http://www.businessfacilities.com/bf_07_08_cover1b.php

(Quote)
Pa Dee Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 5:39 pm

And what type of company has Obama ever run? Go Ford

(Quote)
Rashiid Amul Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 5:53 pm

Completely off topic:

I went to a memorial parade today.
A gentleman was going around handing out American Flags.
I took one. Prominently displayed on the pole was this message:
“Made in China”

(Quote)
northernmi Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 5:54 pm

Ford Worker #1

Ford Worker #1

You are either kidding or just ignorant on how the supply chain works for the automotive industry in this country. Go ahead and liquidate Chrysler and GM. You’re precious Ford would sink with them. The supply base would never survive. A statement coming from a Ford worker (If you’re actually a Ford worker) is enough to make me NOT purchase a Ford product if you can be that stupid.

(Quote)
Bryan Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 6:13 pm

Did anyone see the article where Rick Wagoner is actually still on the payroll? Apparently, congress has to approve his severance package and until they do so, Rick continues to get his regular salary.

(Quote)
omegaman66 Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 6:31 pm

It is over folk. Hope you enjoyed the run over the last 50-60 years. There will be a false rebound and then in a couple of years everything is going to fall apart. The world as we know it has ended, everything just hasn’t fallen down yet.

(Quote)
la_lang Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 6:47 pm

#1———-All I want to see is that GM and Chrysler liquidate soon, and Ford become the only American company successful against the Japanese. Most people now working at Ford more or less gload over the fate of GM and Chrysler. All companies who stole money from tax payer deserve nothing but disdain. I hope GM will transfer Volt technology to Ford!
Go and check out your local Ford dealer for excellent deals!
—————————————————
Look at the Ford Fusion Hybrid, look no difference from regular Fusion. Ford make the same mistake as Honda Civic Hybrid. If I am going to buy a Hybrid tomorrow, I am not going to buy Ford Fusion for sure.

(Quote)
carcus1 Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 7:14 pm

I would like to take this opportunity to wave goodbye to the very gracious and classy Rick Wagoner.

Dear Rick,

Your outstanding accounting skills were shown when you were able to draw in 16M in compensation while losing 90 Billion for your company. Golden handshakes and inner circle comradere with the B.O.D. really proved to be tremendous assets for you. I have no idea why a man with your exemplary leadership stature had trouble negotiating concessions from the UAW workers.

Your work with the EV1 and securing a quick sale of NiMH patents to Texaco/Chevron took great foresight as well.

Rick, it’s been a tough road and I know that at times workers, shareholders, and even ordinary citizens who want to be free from foreign oil dependence just haven’t understood you. Haven’t under$tood your true motivation.
I can only hope that while you’re enjoying retirement from your hard earned luxurious mountain villa, that you can take a moment to look up in the sky and ponder your life’s work. I hope you can feel that Mother Nature or even God himself is sending you a sign of appreciation.

Thank your Rick, for all that you’ve done.

http://bezumnoe.ru/fun/finger_cloud.jpg

(Quote)
Dan Petit Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 7:15 pm

Everyone might be interested what I posted regarding EESTOR in the previous topic at post number 73 a few minutes ago.

This topic.
When we are all able to purchase an EREV Voltec in about 2 years, I am looking forward to sincerely thanking President Obama.
I seriously doubt that any other administration would have been so clearly decisive in the accelerating of the Voltec programs.
Other OEM’s ought to be
******************************
REALLY WORRIED ! !
******************************
While GM is the one who is showing the rest of the OEM’s how they are doing this. None of the other OEM’s are clearly openly sharing their progress like GM is. This is viewed by much of the public as non-performance or non-capability of other OEM’s. The disadvantage to non-GM OEM’s in falling very short in this way is that there will not be as much trust in whatever the other OEM’s produce, no matter how highly-perceived any reputation is.
***********************************************************************
OTHER OEM’S OUGHT TO BE VERY VERY WORRIED!!
***********************************************************************
Dan Petit Austin TX

(Quote)
Butch Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 8:53 pm

#39
“There will be a false rebound and then in a couple of years everything is going to fall apart. The world as we know it has ended, everything just hasn’t fallen down yet.”

The world is going to be just fine. The economic system might go into the toilet, there might be anarchy in the streets, but the world will go on just fine.

(Quote)
jacko Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 9:00 pm

#31 DonC

Why do you believe transportation costs are suddenly going to go up? According to the gov’t statistics, they’ve been going DOWN for a long time, even while globalization has been skyrocketing. I’m sure when peak oil hits (just around the corner I’m sure) this could have an effect. And think of all the harm this would cause to the developing nations. It will cause great harm to their economies and push millions back into poverty. I for one hope innovation can stay ahead of it.

http://www.ti.org/vaupdate04.html
http://www.bts.gov/publications/national_transportation_statistics/index.html

(Quote)
Edwin Mang Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 9:13 pm

I bet not one noticed the botton on his lapell .
looks just like mine .

(Quote)
Edwin Mang Says:
May 24th, 2009 at 9:22 pm

I have been woundering for years where to wear the thing .

Thanks Rick .

God Bless and best wishes .

(Quote)
MarkH Says:
May 25th, 2009 at 12:43 am

Rashiid Amul #36

I was at a funeral for a Korean War veteran on Saturday myself. Nice service led by a chaplin in regimental attire.
The vet in question directed the ways and means committee of the Calgary veterans association. He had been offered the Canadian version of those flags many times, but always had to decline stating that he hadn’t had any interest in taking a Chinese flag since the Battle of Kapyong.

(Quote)
Lawrence Says:
May 25th, 2009 at 5:53 am

Off topic:

http://www.opel-ampera.com

Cheers

(Quote)
statik Says:
May 25th, 2009 at 6:45 am

#49 Lawrence

Thanks, a couple interesting things there:

It is interesting they are claiming over 500 km range, because that is 310 miles…we assumed a tank capacity of 6 gallons, but that would give us over 50MPG. So 7 gallon tank, or 6+.

Secondly, it actually mentions the engine specifically, and the specs: “…more than 500 km extended range with the 1.4L (82HP)…”

I think that is the first time we have had a rated number on the engine in use is it not?

(Quote)
statik Says:
May 25th, 2009 at 6:53 am

#49 statik

HOWEVER, on the Ampera site, it says, “In extended range mode the Ampera only consumes only 1.6/100km*….”

Being from Canada, I am pretty familar with converting this rating over to MPG…but that is like 150 MPG. Of course then we have to convert the ‘world’s’ gallons to US style, which brings it down to around 120MPG.

I know there is asterisk there, but c’mon…really?

…maybe the tank is only 2.5 gallons, lol

(*) Manufacturer’s figures, estimates during current test program

/confused

(Quote)
Dave K. Says:
May 25th, 2009 at 7:27 am

An 82 hp engine running at a 2800 rpm is definitely a gas sipper. It’s common for a 110 HP engine to achieve 38 mpg at 3000 rpm. Looks like 50 mpg minimum. It will most likely hold 3 quarts of premium synthetic oil.

=D~

(Quote)
Lawrence Says:
May 25th, 2009 at 7:32 am

#50 Statik

Agree, 1.6l/100km is pretty unrealistic on charge sustaining mode. But getting a 3.5 to 4l/100km, aka 67 to 58MPG could be feasable, imo. A diesel engine will even be better in this terms.

I really hope they could communicate Lyle some real test MPG on charge sustaining mode ONLY. Even if it is around 50MPG.. it’s a winner.

(Quote)
Joe Says:
May 25th, 2009 at 7:56 am

James E Says: @11

#3 – the range extender is not a new idea. Porsch came up with generator concept back in the early 1900’s.

NPNS!

********************************************************************************

The idea is a no brainer. Making the system work economically is where the brains are needed.

(Quote)
NZDavid Says:
May 25th, 2009 at 8:25 am

I really liked Frank Weber saying it would only take 2½ hours to charge.

(Quote)
Dan Petit Says:
May 25th, 2009 at 8:54 am

Just about all vehicles nowadays have hundreds of program sub-routines that work together to run the engine at the most efficient mode possible. Adaptive fuel mixture, and all the other exactly-equivalent terms coined by the various OEM’s (patent & trade laws force different terms for the exact same thing), is set by these software programs.
They run differently for different temps, elevations, workloads, engine efficiency-conditions, anticipated changes, something going wrong (and adapting for that), things wearing out, (and adapting for that), safety issues, and self-preservation issues (turning a fuel injector off completely if there is no spark inside a cylinder, which preserves the catalytic converter).
GM has an entirely new set of programming conditions to work with. The exciting thing about an engine that can be run at a several-stage “steady-state” rpm and power/load configuration, is, that your equivalent miles per gallon can only go far, far, FAR upwards as compared to anything else, depending on workloads.
This means that the programming departments have some really exciting possibilities, and, these must be really interesting times for the programmers. Shattering all outmoded expectations as to fuel economy is going to be relatively easy. The numbers regarding fuel efficiency, therefore, can not prematurely be promised until there has been A LOT more programming work done. Don’t forget that all components must be protected from the various kinds of overloads;
Mechanical overload, electrical overload, thermal overload, to name a few.
While GM has the best historical database for the compilation of software in order to do all this, it must all still be brought together for the Voltec owner in a faultless set of results, so that the owner never needs to know that they are there, relentlessly saving fuel.
Expect that “fuel economy” to vary very very widely with the individuals’ exact driving characteristics and workload-assignments of each owners’ Voltec vehicle, based on terrain, climate, etc. These assignments will vary very widely. I would expect hyper-milers to enjoy the very best of times in a Voltec vehicle, (as I would also expect their workloads they assign to their Voltec vehicles to be the very lightest).
An entirely new set of Adaptive Fuel subroutines are in the “works” because of these fantastic new energy economies. We must be patient for GM to work all of these software programs out for us.

GM makes very broad changes in the structure of software at every decade change (internally and due to mandate).
What I would like to see for the 2010 model year for all vehicles, is an industry standard where GM (and all other OEM’s) make available to anyone via the vehicle’s VIN number, free replacement software downloads, since all OEM’s certainly wish to preserve their reputations regarding economic feasibility of repair as well as overall cost-of-ownership considerations.
I say this because when the 12 volt battery has a fault (say, a very bad individual cell, or, grease foolishly is placed between the post and the clamp), software can get lost and must be reflashed via special equipment.
I would gladly pay a GM parts department for a (latest release) software jump-drive which contained original backup and updated (both) software for my vehicle. This would be the most outstanding customer service item that I can think of (even right now for you), the owner of the vehicle, having the right to have a copy of the software that was originally-installed at time of delivery at the least. And, having the ability to buy an enhanced version of the software for fuel-economy and all the other operational benefits (described above), at a cost gladly paid by me.
Dan Petit Austin TX

(Quote)
carcus1 Says:
May 25th, 2009 at 9:18 pm

1.6l/100km = 52 mpg (if you assume the first 40 miles are all electric and then range extender mode to get to a total of 100km)

?/ just a guess

(Quote)
N Riley Says:
May 26th, 2009 at 11:15 am

I want to see the government and the UAW out of GM sooner rather than later. I wish neither had been allowed into ownership. Not what I wanted to see happen to GM. Certainly not in the best interest of GM or America for them to retain any ownership in the future. I suspect even if the government does sell its share of GM at some point, the UAW will be there from now own.

(Quote)
noel park Says:
May 26th, 2009 at 2:45 pm

#36 Rashiid Amul & #47 MarkH:

Yeah, plus Santa Claus, the Thanksgiving decorations, the Halloween plastic pumpkin and the Easter Bunny. Not to mention charming souveniers of Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and probably Civil War battlefields, LOL.

I shudder to think of the futures of our children and grandchildren.

#12 CorvetteGuy:

Well nurses wouldn’t be a bad idea. It takes high school graduation, an AA, and passing the state exam to become an RN. They make very good money. At my wife’s hospital a good 50% of the RNs are foreign nationals because there aren’t enough locals to fill the jobs.

(Quote)
Bob G Says:
May 26th, 2009 at 5:02 pm

#16 Electriciti Says, “The best way that Obama could help, not only GM, but all car manufacturers, is to wire all of our highways with magnetic strips imbeded on them every certain distances. This way, all electric cars could be self charging, by merely passing over these strips. A magnetic pick up coil under the car chasis can pick up the energy from these strips, and the car can charge its batteries without stoping”

If you are talking about putting magnets in the highway that generate current in a coil as the car passes over it (i.e., a linear generator), the drag and the losses will exceed the energy gained.

If you are talking about putting powered coils in the road that transfer energy pulses to your car by transformer action as you pass over them, the coils would be enormously expensive, the system would be extremely inefficient (due to the large air gaps), and you’d still need a battery in the car to store the energy.

Plugging in at a charge station or at home is a far more cost-efficient idea.

(Quote)

Recent GM-Volt Forum Posts

Hacked e-mails reveal global-warming fraud? November 20, 2009
This is how open minded liberals operate. "And, perhaps most reprehensibly," Delingpole writes, "a long series of communications discussing how best... […]
BigCityCat
Is the Volt Engine Direct Injected? November 20, 2009
I recently read that the Cruze's engine will be DI. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevy_Cruze#Chevrolet_Cruze Obviously the Cruze's engine will... […]
omnimoeish
First Reports of the Chevy Volt's Charge-Sustaining (Generator) Mode Operation November 20, 2009
The first two journalists' reports of what it's like to drive the Chevy Volt while in generator mode operation have been published. 1) New York... […]
admin
Florida giving $5000 rebate to convert Prius to plug-in November 20, 2009
- Probably Hymotion - $10,400 standard price - $5000 state rebate - $1000 additional federal incentives - $4,400 final cost. Hurry because their... […]
Texas
New York Times CSM story November 20, 2009
Link to the New York Times story of November 19, 2009 about a test ride of the Volt in charge sustaining... […]
srschrier
New video: Volt drive in Detroit November 19, 2009
November 19, 2009 Detroit Free Press story with video featuring a Volt drive with Andrew Farah in... […]
srschrier
New Video: Volt Corrosion Testing November 18, 2009
From GM VoltAge, the Volt's corrosion... […]
srschrier

Obama Says GM Will be Strong, Leaner, and Meaner, and Rick Wagoner Sends Us His Regards

59 Responses to “Obama Says GM Will be Strong, Leaner, and Meaner, and Rick Wagoner Sends Us His Regards”

Leave a Reply

Recent Posts

Recent GM-Volt Forum Posts