GM Exec: Hybrids Are Money Losers

planetgore.nationalreview.com ^ | February 15, 2010 | Henry Payne

[NewHampshireDuo]

Thanks for the clarification.

[Colorado Cowgirl]

“Bigger carbon footprint to build a Prius than a Hummer.” I hope you don’t still believe that lie. “huge pesky batteries that need replacing every few years.” Let’s see my Prius has 6 “six-pack size” batteries that weigh 99 pounds total and they should last 8 to 12 years.

[chainsaw]

"Complaints about auto safety issues typically rise sharply after a recall gains widespread attention, as NHTSA typically only gets 10% of the complaints generated by any given problem. Before the recalls, the agency had received some 2,000 complaints of sudden acceleration. Since Jan. 22, the agency has received another 743 complaints about sudden acceleration and 866 complaints about brakes in the 2010 Prius."

Suddenly the number is 9. Whats up. And this doesn't count the problems with the pickups.

[wolf78]

When you can get 32 - 38 mpg on the highway with a small I-4, direct injection, turbo, and still get 200+ horses, hybrids become a city only car.

True that. Mercedes sells a lot of these (e.g. E250 CGI BlueEfficiency at 32 mpg, the CDI diesel version gets 44 mpg) in their native Germany. Actually they tested a C-Class against a Gen2 Prius at Autobahn speeds (100 mph) and the bigger Mercedes beat the Prius - and that wasn't even a diesel.

However - and that is a big however: There are many urban centers where hybrids make sense, in the US and moreso in Japan. The current Gen3 Prius is the best-selling car in Japan and Toyota make money on every Prius sold since Gen2. What Lutz says is that Government Motors can't make money where Ford and Toyota can. Yeah, whupdidooda, big surprise.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Lutz said that hybrids are money pits that will have to be subsidized by other GM vehicles

I understand they have acres of them just waiting to be purchased, or crushed.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

I have a co-worker who got a Honda hybrid. He told me that it "Gets 30 mpgs, but that number is actually higher because the motor cuts off at intersections".

Really! And how many MPG can a low-tech VW TDI get?

[bert]

Hey!! It’s only money.

[bert]

‘’’’’’’Such a bold statement will get Bob Lutz his walking papers’’’’

Alternatively, he perceives the truth won’t hurt because he is in no danger from those who have lost their power

[wbill]

Yeah, but the TDI doesn't cut off at stoplights! :-)

And, it's not "green". Or at least, doesn't have a "Save to World, buy a Hybrid" marketing campaign going for it......

[ROCKLOBSTER]

And, it's not "green".

Unlike the diesel...the hybrid won't run on multiple fuels...like french fry oil.

[editor-surveyor]

BFL

[38special]

Here's one green car I'd be interested in.

[Grampa Dave]

Pious drivers out here in wino land are doing a very dangerous thing after they come to a stop at a stop light.

They are apparently trying to see how high their mileage can be while going very slowly and beyound slowly when the light turns green.

I had been telling my trophy wife about this new bs by the Pious drivers, and she hadn’t seen it yet. This past saturday, she saw a dozen of these bastards pulling this bs on a 35 mile trip to another wino county and back. Then yesterday, while she drove to work, she had two of these bastards pull this stunt and one on her drive home.

The other dangerous stunt the Pious nitwits are pulling is once they get close to normal speed after the light, suddenly slowing down not to go past 50 mph in 55 mph zones. On our trip home Saturday afternoon, one of these bastards had over 30 vehicles behind him, breaking the law of pulling over if you have 5 vehicles behind you.

[Republic of Texas]

Nine accidents.

[chainsaw]

Nine accidents.

Millions of cars, billions of miles driven, 9 incidents. Are you sure it’s the gas pedal?

from your post 54.

[Republic of Texas]

Damn you got me! Your life has reached it’s zenith! Congratulations.