Posted on 04/09/2003 11:00:35 AM PDT by wallcrawlr
Edited on 04/13/2004 3:38:51 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. -- The celebrated ride of the car that spawned the nation's toughest emissions regulation ends at a parking lot in Southern California, where a growing fleet of General Motors electric cars awaits an uncertain fate.
Dozens of the green, metallic blue and bright red futuristic autos are lined up behind a chain-link fence at the edge of a freight rail line in Van Nuys, a sign the world's largest automaker has pulled the plug on a vehicle it heralded just two years ago as "the car of the future."
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
Right. I am tired of californians moving to wyoming, idaho, and colorado. and massachusetts moving to New Hampshire. I didnt mean that I wanted the californians to move here, I want californians to stop importing so many people.
Let me try to explain why I have a "problem with that".
The problem is that politicians and bureaucrats cannot pass a law that repeals the laws of physics. And yet that is what the arrogant idiots in California tried to do 15+ years ago.
They mandated a technology that can't be done. The battery technology they ordered up - simply stated - requires more energy, is more expensive and less efficient than the internal combustion engine.
In the long run, it would in addition be more polluting as it takes more energy to charge up one of these monster batteries than an equivalent gallon of gas.
Guess what?
This was known 15+ years ago.
Then why did GM, Ford, etc., persue this bad science and engineering?
Because the largest consumer market in the nation mandated it. The California politicians and their enviro-enablers decided they were Nobel Scientists and had superior knowlege of all things technical.
Why does that frost me?
First of all, it wasted billions of dollars in research, engineering and manufacturing dollars both private and public that could have been used in more efficient areas.
Second, it raised expectations of many people that a replacement of the conventional motor was just around the corner when it is not.
And last, it really frosts me that untold millions of naive Americans actually believe politicians can pass a law that changes a law of physics.
If you have to ask that question, then there is really no point trying to explain it to you- it would be like teaching spherical trigonometry to a 3-year old. It might be done, with great difficulty- but why bother?
Its hardly irrelevant to desire alternate fuel sources, especially clean ones.
I agree. To each his own. That's what I said in my response -- if he wants one he better get one while he can -- to each his own -- I don't desire one but he does. His comment -- "Just because I don't believe global warning dystopia doesn't mean that I think dirty air is cool" -- was irrelevant but perhaps he had a need to justify his desire to the group.
Jeesh, why does there have to be someone peeing on everyones parade when they want change?
Oh so know I'm peeing on everyone's parade. Grow up and learn better reading comprehension and perhaps you won't be peeing down your leg.
Your type is why people tried to kill Copernicus and other outside the box thinkers. Face it, youre a dinasour and you're starting to smell bad.
You're a real hoot. Go read this -- Chapter 6, A Cosmology of Infinite Riches -- and then tell me I don't champion thinking outside the box. You'll likely bite your tongue to keep from lashing out and save face despite a strong desire to remain inside establishment status quo box.
but what I don't understand (and maybe what Lara is saying) is why so many people, especially "conservatives" that show up around here, have such negative, knee jerk reactions against things like electric cars.
No LaraCroft said I was "peeing on everyone's parade". Gee wiz, on everyone's parade. I merely pointed out in post 8 that L.N.Smithee was making an irrelevant rhetorical comment lashing out at a group that he himself dreamed up but was not present on the thread. LaraCroft got all worked up because she didn't read more carefully and let herself jump to erroneous conclusion and peed down her own leg. You got sucked into defending LaraCroft's mind spun fabrication.
I don't own an electric car, and frankly, I wouldn't buy one right now
To each his own, which is what I said that LaraCroft chose to ignore in order to go off on her self-induced tirade.
The automobile manufacturers are faced with a free market Catch-22: there's no demand for the product because the technology isn't there, but without demand, there's no incentive to produce the technology.
People want low cost personal transportation. For the most part they could careless what the technology is that underlies the transportation.
Electric cars would be a far better alternative to automobiles on the road today. They would be cheaper to operate, quieter to run, and better for the environment. I don't see why so many folks have such a problem with that. But, oh well.
If that were true the market would be screaming for them and the car manufacturers would have answered the market demand.
Someone posted a desire for less poluting vehicles, and I responded to one who was ridiculing them.
I didn't ridicule LNS's desire for an electric car.. I got on LNS for for his rhetoric fabricating a problem that didn't exist. And for perhaps having a desire to to justify his desire to the group that was his mind-spun fabrication. If he wants an electric car fine, but why justify it to some group that isn't even present on the thread? Group think mentality is my guess.
Bet you're fun at a party.
Sarcasm /off
Until then it's just a greenie-weenie dream.
No way. The true cost of each vehicle, disregarding development cost, was well over $100,000. I've heard estimates at anywhere from $100,000 to $300,000 so I'll be conservative and pick the low one. They were sold at a loss with the profits from gas vehicles subsidizing the price because the government was strongarming GM into producing them. No one who isn't certifiably crazy or a total fool would pay this kind of money for a vehicle that can 1. Under the best of conditions only go about 70 miles before it needs a several hour recharge and 2. needs a brand new $20,000 battery every 2.5 years. and 3. will only go about 30 miles in cold weather before it needs a recharge.
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