Posted on 09/07/2014 11:28:19 AM PDT by Kaslin
The CEO for Fiat Chrysler (remember how an Italian company helped save Detroit?) is begging Americans to kill more polar bears, pollute the air, and continue to melt the polar ice caps… Or something. There’s also an outside chance that he’s just being a responsible CEO by trying to keep his company out of bankruptcy. Whatever the reason, Sergio Marchionne is asking consumers to steer clear of the company’s all electric Fiat.
Under the direction of Marchionne, Fiat Chrysler is apparently taking a new approach to keeping the company solvent: Sell cars that people actually want to buy. And he is letting everyone who will listen know that the automaker’s electric version of the 500 is not a car you want… He hopes. As it turns out, each 500e that rolls off the showroom floor costs the company money. A lot of money… And that’s after all of Obama’s cute little tax credits and manufacturer “incentives”.
According to Reuters:
“I hope you don't buy [one] because every time I sell one it costs me $14,000” he said to the audience at the Brookings Institution about the 500e. “I'm honest enough to tell you that…I will sell the (minimum) of what I need to sell and not one more.”
Being green isn’t easy, but it’s also not cheap. The gasoline version of the same car sells with a starting price (including delivery charges) of roughly $17,000… DealerFeesSalesTaxesAndFinancingChargesExtra. (Did you just read that with a fast paced announcer voice? Because that’s how it sounded in my head.) The electric 500e has a starting price point of roughly $32,650… And that’s without any thrills like heated seats, voice controlled navigation, or extra cup holders. Heck, I’m not even sure that model comes standard with turn signals. And even with this highly inflated price tag compared to its fossil-fuel sibling, the company takes a substantial loss with each rare sale.
Lucky for Fiat Chrysler, it seems the CEO’s wish is being answered. As it turns out, a $32,650 electric version of a $17,000 car is really only marketable to a niche sector of the American public. In a sane world, such a product would quickly find itself relegated to the ash-heap of corporate history. But, this isn’t a sane world. After all, we live in a world run by liberals.
Which, really, is the only explanation for Chrysler’s continued production of the 500e. Due to government regulations, CAFE standards, and “environmental consciousness”, the company must produce a certain number of electric (or highly fuel efficient) vehicles. Basically, progressive leaders in government have decided that it is more important to follow some questionable science about saving polar bears, than taking steps to keep people employed.
Marchionne also said that the company may have to increase its electric vehicle fleet to over half of its total sales by 2025… That’s a lot of red ink if Fiat can’t convince people to start shelling enough money to at least cover the cost of production. He hit the point home by saying that, unless something changes, Chrysler will be begging for another bailout because of government mandates driving down their profits. As Steve Martin once said: “Ah… So it’s a profit deal!”
Of course, if Marchionne really wanted to keep people from buying the 500e, he could just follow the example of the Chevy Volt… Nothing turns away would-be consumers like a little spontaneous combustion.
“Sell cars that people actually want to buy.”
A novel concept in the Left’s Watermelon World (green on the outide, Marxist on the inside).
Being essentially political fascists, they’d much prefer you buy the car assigned to you by the party commissar-in-charge.
17K vs 32.65K for the same POS?
What a bidness model.
Electric vehicles make great golf carts and segways. Without any tax incentives. Daily drivers - not so much.
Looks like it’s Japan’s turn to try making an `honest woman’ out of the Big Three tramp, Crysler.
The other Axis powers, Germany and Italy, have tried and failed.
So Crysler may need more tax dollars ... how many times are we going to spring these loosers from debtors prison?
Need more coal to power more electric cars.
“As it turns out, a $32,650 electric version of a $17,000 “
Cimarron, by Cadillac!
Where are those guys who usually post stuff about the wonders of their coal-burning buggies? I’d like to see their response to this CEO!
Paraphrasing: “This car is way under-priced. I can’t afford to sell it to you — you can’t have one.”
That’s got to be one of the best sales pitches ever!
The gasoline version of the same car sells with a starting price (including delivery charges) of roughly $17,000… The electric 500e has a starting price point of roughly $32,650… And that’s without -snip- extra cup holders.
Only insane people (liberals) think double the price for less is a good thing.
Daimler raped the company, drove good engineers away and cheapened all the products.
Chrysler was sitting on more than $10 billion cash to weather the next downturn. Daimler transferred it all to Germany.
Mercedes engineers looked down on their American counterparts, regardless of accomplishments.
The ML was a disaster and required engineers from Jeep to be sent to Germany to fix it.
But some today want to say the Grand Cherokee is based on the Mercedes. The same morons who say the Chrysler 300 was just an E-Class underneath. Neither were true.
As an example, the 5-speed automatic transmissions used in most Chryslers, up until recently, was a Daimler creation. Chrysler had to pay a royalty to Germany for every one installed....even though they were built here by American workers. That was the "merger of equals" crap.
So, while I am not a big fan of Sergio Marchionne (does not understand branding), I do respect his financial acumen, especially with regard to the electric craps.
Have yet to see a single Government Motors ObamaVolt in this part of the country. Tons of Nissan Leafs, but no ObamaVolts.
Oh My God it's THE MAFIA!
First Gubmint Motors, now this.
Don’t beg, Sergio. Just send more diesels.
Which, really, is the only explanation for Chrysler’s continued production of the 500e. Due to government regulations, CAFE standards, and “environmental consciousness”, the company must produce a certain number of electric (or highly fuel efficient) vehicles.
Fascism - government directed production by privately owned corporations (see Corporatism).
I live in downstate Illinois. I see Volts from time to time. I don't recall seeing any Leafs. There is at least one Tesla S in town and can blow the doors off my car from a dead stop. Interstate - not so much. Every Tesla I've seen on downstate interstate highways are going 55 to make it where ever they are going. Speed limit is 70. That might change if they add more quick charging stations..
Fix
It
Alla
Time
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