New York Times: G.M.'s Electric Lemon

The New York Times ^ | July 29, 2010 | Edward Niedermeyer

[KevinDavis]

So I’m not buying anything from Government Motors... So if I want to buy an Hybrid, I would go with a Toyota... The Volt is going to fail and fail big time..

[snowsislander]

So I’m not buying anything from Government Motors... So if I want to buy an Hybrid, I would go with a Toyota... The Volt is going to fail and fail big time..

I agree. Not only do I dislike as a matter of principle their acceptance of government largess and the sorry way that the legitimate debtors of the company were treated, as a matter of simple practicality I think that Government Motors pricing is ludicrous for the Volt.

If they wanted to succeed, they should have given it a market price, not an outlandishly high one. Trying to recoup all of their investment in a short payback period is very likely to be unworkable.

[longtermmemmory]

does anyone think employers will allow mooching of electricity to subsidize travel?

[combat_boots]

Mileage to KWH reimbursement. I love it. How useful.

Suppose people will get a ‘battery allowance’ or ‘segwey uniform & helmet’ cleaning?

[longtermmemmory]

rank and file union members don’t realize their so called leaders only care about the money they skim off pensions.

the union leaders would (and have) sell out their own for a dime.

[longtermmemmory]

how will the local governments collect kwh taxes if people start replacing roof tiles with solar panels?

like digital sat tv we need a federal preemption law that prohibits the banning or taxing of solar panels.

[combat_boots]

I really, REALLY wish Stan Ovshinsky’s photovoltaic plug & play solar shingles were affordable: http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2008/07/profile-at-85-green-giant-stan-ovshinsky-sees-his-ideas-bearing-fruit.html

I do know that at least one major electric company CHARGES FEES and overage charges if you go above ‘expected’ wattage/month, OR, if you use a generator for anything other than emergency purposes. Net metering my eye.

[combat_boots]

Also see Ovonics, EDS, First Solar--More on Solar shingles

[count-your-change]

The 50’s were the golden years for Detroit, they could sell everything they built and then some no matter how junky.

Paper seatcovers, lots of chrome, and steady profits until a small dark cloud shaped like a Japanese car appeared on the horizon. “The Reckoning” would soon arrive.

[Colonel_Flagg]

On a snowy, frozen morning in mid winter, when the batteries get cold and weak, and you turn on the heater and defroster, windshield wipers, the headlights - maybe even the radio - then how many miles will you get on that advertised 40 mile charge?

You'll be able to drive it as far as Der Leader did the other day.

[paulycy]

“You’ll be able to drive it as far as Der Leader did the other day. “

Unless it’s actually in the snow, ‘cause it won’t have enough oomph left to move the tires through the drifts.

[AdaGray]

‘Dolt in a Volt.” I like that.

[AdaGray]

‘Dolt in a Volt.” I like that.

[longtermmemmory]

but how are they with rain, windstorms, snow, etc...

[combat_boots]

I don’t know, but Stan’s companies are ordinarily in MI. OTH, I see the price and lose interest in details that I may not be able to afford in my lifetime.

I’ve also heard a lot of buzz on nanosolar.

It is disappointing to see these yeahoos on HGTV building green castles and other things like $$ is no object. You have money? You can buy goodies. They may last if someone doesn’t take them. If they break, you can get them fixed or do something else with more money.

Stan, however, if you’ll recall, invented the Electric Car, the patent for which is owned by Texaco now, IIRC. Yes. THAT electric car, that came & got them all and smashed them. And they worked.

I have seen here on FR a cool Honda gizmo though, but not a utility-related thing. Rogue: http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/segway-inspired-all-electric-honda-rouge-concept-is-remote-controlled/

Oh. I really meant the U3-X, not the segwey-rickshaw: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1215741/Honda-unveils-Segway-style-unicycle-travels-direction-want.html

I also saw some kind of anti-mold/anti-bacterial steel coating that was used in a California concept house. People got sick a whole lot less. I had thought that was developed by AK Steel, but I haven’t heard much of it lately.

The long & short of it is that the solar shingles are, I suppose, still out of reach & limited use in Northern climes, but I can’t guarantee that. For Stan, however, I would emply garbage and clean toilets just to work with him.

---

Oh, and yes, I fully support drill, baby, drill. We know the NWO wants to make us slaves to Africa, Hispanics & the Communist Chinese, along with killing off a raft of us, crowding us in cities and implementing the unused regions of the US as resources for the taking. Why else shut the US down above and below ground, including inland & coastal water, but for that?

[Eye of Unk]

This car will go down in history as the infamous “brownout” initiator in major cities.

I have seen compact cars like the Pinto converted to have a golf cart electric drive on the rear axle and a couple of deep cycle batteries, actually any front wheel drive can be converted to a half gas half electric vehicle.

I have a Chevy Lumina van that is sitting on my property and it would be a good hybrid project for me. plenty of room for some batteries in the rear.

[KevinDavis]

Nope.

[KevinDavis]

Had the big three actually build cars the American consumer wanted maybe they wouldn’t be in this mess..

[count-your-change]

True, but their problems began much earlier when they ignored what was taking place in post war Japan.

Some Japanese manufacturers understood that America was the market to be cracked open and Edwards Deming was teaching the Japanese how to manage their industry to do it.

The results speak for themselves.

[Elsie]

Or if you go up a hill on the way to work.

You can re-generate on your way back home.