March 19, 2012
— Ace I think the UAW has a pretty sweet deal -- something like 95% pay for a laid-off worker -- so that's pretty awesome for them.
But for the car, and the taxpayer-slash-owners, not so much.
eneral Motors Co. is suspending production of its Chevrolet Volt electric car for five weeks amid disappointing sales.A GM spokesman said Friday that the company will shut down production of the Volt from March 19 until April 23, idling 1,300 workers at the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant.
The Volt was rolled out with great fanfare in late 2010 but has since hit bumps in the road. Sales have fallen short of expectations, and its reputation was bruised by an investigation into a possible fire risk.
As I've said 100 times, like most of the president's "investments," the "products" invested in were entirely political, not commercial. They were political products, invested in not for any commercial purpose but to appease a political constituency.
PS: Given the timing here -- GM needs a bailout (or rather the UAW does), a liberal president is elected on a "lower the sea levels" platform, GM just coincidentally has an all-electric (um, not all-electric at all, but so it was claimed) car in the works -- does it not appear that the Volt was rushed to market as part of the company's appeal to Daddy Sugar?
Posted by: Ace at
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Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at March 19, 2012 07:51 AM (f9c2L)
Posted by: nevergiveup at March 19, 2012 07:52 AM (i6RpT)
Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) SMOD 2012 at March 19, 2012 07:52 AM (8y9MW)
Posted by: Mr Pink at March 19, 2012 07:52 AM (FtdJQ)
Posted by: Dr Spank at March 19, 2012 07:52 AM (Sh42X)
Posted by: WalrusRex at March 19, 2012 07:53 AM (Hx5uv)
It's a five-week paid spring break.
Why did I go to college?
Posted by: HeatherRadish at March 19, 2012 07:53 AM (ZKzrr)
This was the car that America needed to build.
To find out that GM didn't know what they were doing.
Compelled by a regime that is clueless about how a modern manufacturing operation works.
Winning!!
Posted by: Reader C.J. Burch writes.... at March 19, 2012 07:53 AM (RFeQD)
Posted by: maddogg at March 19, 2012 07:53 AM (OlN4e)
Seriously, the only place the Volt would be practical at all is the city (or highly urbanized suburbs) that probably already have mass transit (in all its corrupt glory).
Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) SMOD 2012 at March 19, 2012 07:54 AM (8y9MW)
Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD 2012 at March 19, 2012 07:54 AM (VtjlW)
They had that before the bankruptcy. Do we know for a fact that such ridiculous rules still exist?
Posted by: pep at March 19, 2012 07:54 AM (YXmuI)
Posted by: joncelli, heartless Con and all around unpleasant guy at March 19, 2012 07:55 AM (RD7QR)
Yes, it is. It was reported on this weird site Space of Aids or something too by not only a half-dozen or so commenters but by at least one cob-logger as well.
Posted by: weft cut-loop [/i] at March 19, 2012 07:55 AM (WdKsY)
Posted by: Dr Spank at March 19, 2012 07:55 AM (Sh42X)
Posted by: joeindc44 says come on, guys, no tough questions at March 19, 2012 07:55 AM (QxSug)
Posted by: ArmedKulak at March 19, 2012 07:56 AM (hcyKT)
Posted by: steevy at March 19, 2012 07:56 AM (7W3wI)
Posted by: nevergiveup at March 19, 2012 07:56 AM (i6RpT)
You mean a $45,000 car that the market doesn't want, only goes about 35 miles on a charge, and can catch fire isn't a raging commercial success?
There can only be one explanation. Racism, pure and simple.
Posted by: Insomniac at March 19, 2012 07:56 AM (DrWcr)
Posted by: steevy at March 19, 2012 07:56 AM (7W3wI)
Posted by: Dr Spank at March 19, 2012 11:55 AM (Sh42X)
Where he'll sit on the bench after the first serious hit of the season.
Posted by: joncelli, heartless Con and all around unpleasant guy at March 19, 2012 07:57 AM (RD7QR)
Posted by: Jay in Ames at March 19, 2012 07:57 AM (UEEex)
Posted by: grease monkey at March 19, 2012 07:57 AM (VSWPU)
ESPN reported Manning instructed his agent to begin contract negotiations.
Posted by: Dr Spank at March 19, 2012 07:57 AM (Sh42X)
Posted by: Mittens McRomney at March 19, 2012 07:58 AM (gPDxp)
Posted by: joeindc44 says come on, guys, no tough questions at March 19, 2012 07:58 AM (QxSug)
http://tinyurl.com/86z557y
Posted by: Bawb Scheisser at March 19, 2012 07:58 AM (vhwRj)
Posted by: joncelli, heartless Con and all around unpleasant guy at March 19, 2012 07:58 AM (RD7QR)
Posted by: Tony253 at March 19, 2012 07:58 AM (7my1f)
Posted by: Barky McClusterfuck at March 19, 2012 07:59 AM (0tRzD)
I haven't seen them. Of course, I don't see many commercials anyway, but I do see some. I wonder if they're just not playing in my market.
Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) SMOD 2012 at March 19, 2012 07:59 AM (8y9MW)
Where he'll sit on the bench after the first serious hit of the season.
Posted by: joncelli, heartless Con and all around unpleasant guy at March 19, 2012 11:57 AM (RD7QR)
One hit and he won't be sitting on the bench....unless it has wheels.
Posted by: Tami at March 19, 2012 08:00 AM (X6akg)
Posted by: Peregrine Took, Hobbit S.O.B. at March 19, 2012 08:01 AM (64S5N)
1. lose money per sale
2. increase production
3. ?
4. profit!
But I must admit, having these employees sit around not consuming any raw material resources for 5 weeks while still getting paid will help save Gaia. So there's that.
Posted by: GnuBreed at March 19, 2012 08:01 AM (ccXZP)
Posted by: Libra at March 19, 2012 08:01 AM (kd8U8)
Posted by: andycanuck at March 19, 2012 08:02 AM (6RnvM)
If you live in a city, imagine finding a place to "plug in" other than at home and if you can plug in "at home' is that in the parking garage? Do those normally have plugs, does the buildiing or condo pay for that energy? None of it works.
The left is a stranger to thinking about consequences.
Posted by: dagny loved andrew at March 19, 2012 08:02 AM (u50z0)
Posted by: nickless at March 19, 2012 08:02 AM (MMC8r)
Posted by: Darth Randall at March 19, 2012 08:02 AM (O/onO)
Posted by: Mr Pink at March 19, 2012 08:03 AM (FtdJQ)
Sure. My assumption was always that it was an unspoken part of the bailout agreement that they either produce an electric vehicle (GM) or get a foreign buyer (Fiat/Chrysler).
Posted by: joncelli, heartless Con and all around unpleasant guy at March 19, 2012 08:03 AM (RD7QR)
Posted by: BlackOrchid at March 19, 2012 08:03 AM (SB0V2)
Posted by: I'm the Honey Badger, BITCH! at March 19, 2012 08:05 AM (nyxv/)
1. The auto companies suspend production on a fairly routine basis. Usually it's scheduled in the summer. So it's not that unforeseen.
2. According to popular wisdom here, GM has paid back all their government loans in full. WHY WON'T YOU BELIEVE THAT!!ELEVENTY!!
Posted by: shibumi at March 19, 2012 08:05 AM (z63Tr)
Elway was ABT.Anybody but Tebow.
That's really just stupid.
"Hey, here's the kid who took us to the Second Round of the Play-offs. He can't possibly be good enough to stay on. Let's get rid of him and pick up an injury-prone, near-then-end-of-playing-life QB who only won 1 Superbowl despite having several years of a team built specifically to match him!"
Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) SMOD 2012 at March 19, 2012 08:05 AM (8y9MW)
Posted by: dagny loved andrew at March 19, 2012 08:05 AM (u50z0)
Posted by: joncelli, heartless Con and all around unpleasant guy at March 19, 2012 08:05 AM (RD7QR)
High price, low performance, and fires are 'publicity problems.'
Posted by: nickless at March 19, 2012 08:06 AM (MMC8r)
Summer shutdown used to be for retooling for the new model year.
Posted by: HeatherRadish at March 19, 2012 08:06 AM (ZKzrr)
Posted by: Ranginess at March 19, 2012 08:06 AM (GL1SF)
I finally saw one, too. A twenty something chick that claims not to know how to pump gas because she drives a Volt. Shame to suffer memory loss that young.
I'll be interested to see if GM actually resumes production at the end of April.
Posted by: Retread at March 19, 2012 08:06 AM (joSBv)
I dunno. I heard there's this guy name Elway who was a pretty good QB as well as pretty decent coach. Maybe they could have gotten him.
Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) SMOD 2012 at March 19, 2012 08:06 AM (8y9MW)
Posted by: BlackOrchid at March 19, 2012 08:07 AM (SB0V2)
Posted by: maddogg at March 19, 2012 08:07 AM (OlN4e)
Because they're still trying to sell the ones sitting on the lots.
Posted by: lowandslow at March 19, 2012 08:07 AM (GZitp)
What I don't get is, if these things were simply "rushed to market," why? Obozo was already elected, and had four years before a rush was needed--why not roll them out now as "campaign successes"? Was there some financing deadline?
Posted by: @ParisParamus at March 19, 2012 08:07 AM (mENeG)
Posted by: Jay Guevara at March 19, 2012 08:08 AM (8g3RA)
Posted by: dagny loved andrew at March 19, 2012 08:08 AM (u50z0)
Posted by: Gregory of Yardale at March 19, 2012 08:08 AM (gPDxp)
2. According to popular wisdom here, GM has paid back all their government loans in full. WHY WON'T YOU BELIEVE THAT!!ELEVENTY!!
So where'd a company on the verge of bankruptcy come up with $55B in two years (plus their supposed 'profit' last year)?
Of course it's fake.
Posted by: nickless at March 19, 2012 08:08 AM (MMC8r)
Posted by: Sandra Fluke at March 19, 2012 08:08 AM (AWmfW)
Posted by: Jane D'oh at March 19, 2012 08:09 AM (UOM48)
Looks like about the same amount of planning and strategery went into the car as the media campaign.
Posted by: ontherocks at March 19, 2012 08:09 AM (ZJCDy)
Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) SMOD 2012 at March 19, 2012 12:06 PM (8y9MW)
Elway was going to mentor him? After all that hoo-ha? Don't think so.
Posted by: joncelli, heartless Con and all around unpleasant guy at March 19, 2012 08:09 AM (RD7QR)
Posted by: BlackOrchid at March 19, 2012 08:09 AM (SB0V2)
As I've said 100 times, like most of the president's "investments," the "products" invested in were entirely political, not commercial.
May I point out the link I put in the sidebar, down about halfway, about the construction of Potemkin villages? The two practices-- calling crony payoffs an investment, and setting up grass-roots astroturf orgs-- are almost the same thing.
Posted by: Truman North at March 19, 2012 08:09 AM (I2LwF)
Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at March 19, 2012 08:09 AM (QF8uk)
Posted by: Jimmuy at March 19, 2012 08:10 AM (BjEK3)
Posted by: Truman North at March 19, 2012 08:10 AM (I2LwF)
Posted by: Justamom at March 19, 2012 08:10 AM (Sptt8)
Posted by: BlackOrchid at March 19, 2012 08:11 AM (SB0V2)
Posted by: dagny loved andrew at March 19, 2012 08:11 AM (u50z0)
The volt has been in design and production since at least 2007 - long before GM needed to be bailed out. That it provided convenient phot-ops afterwards is not in dispute - but it wasn't rushed to market, it was already almost there. By all acounts, it extremely well-sorted out, except possibly for the (overblown, but bungled anyway by GM) fire risk.
It just costs too damned much for what it does, and what it does isn't enough more than what a Prius does for $15K less. They might have had better luck selling it as a Cadillac or Buick, but it was a Chevy show car, and ostensibly aimed at everyday Americans, so a Chevy it is.
Posted by: Jeff Weimer at March 19, 2012 08:11 AM (tuOLO)
http://is.gd/XMnxEi
Posted by: HeatherRadish at March 19, 2012 08:11 AM (ZKzrr)
That really was a bone head move. If the car came out this fall Obama could have used it as alternative to high fuel costs all campaign long. Still would have been a flop eventually, but couldn't have been used against him by then.
Posted by: lowandslow at March 19, 2012 08:12 AM (GZitp)
I know, right? You couldn't possibly put your ego on the shelf for a minute and consider the fact your fans absolutely love the kid, and that he did lead you to the Second round of the Playoffs. Un-possible. /snark
Yes, I know you're right. My point was that it's ridiculous that Elway and team couldn't swallow their own pride for 5 minutes and think "we may have something, here..."
Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) SMOD 2012 at March 19, 2012 08:12 AM (8y9MW)
Posted by: maddogg at March 19, 2012 08:12 AM (OlN4e)
Posted by: Barbed Wire Wrapped Pineapple at March 19, 2012 08:13 AM (EL+OC)
Not entirely. GM had been working on an electric for awhile before Obaka. Every time Congress has meddled with the CAFE standards they include gifts to the big 3. The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act signed by Boooosh included $25 billion in loans and $10 billion in compliance costs.
This included FORD by the way.
Posted by: weft cut-loop [/i] at March 19, 2012 08:13 AM (WdKsY)
The $18K Chevy Cruze
http://tinyurl.com/7h4kxao
The $44K / $37K with tax rebate Chevy Volt
http://tinyurl.com/6ue7l4x
The buyers for the Volt averaged a $175K income. When spending extra to show the world your moral superiority, you want the car to be obvious, like the iconic Prius
A SWPL yuppie buying a Volt gets that peeing in a dark suit feeling. Makes you feel warm but nobody notices
Posted by: kbdabear at March 19, 2012 08:13 AM (Y+DPZ)
Posted by: @ParisParamus at March 19, 2012 08:14 AM (mENeG)
Overblown how, exactly? Like the Government launching an investigation and demanding GM put up a bond to pay claims to customers- that then found out there wasn't actually a problem in the first place- it was virtually all user error?
Oh. Wait. That was Toyota.
Sorry, my car going up in flames after an accident is not a good thing, and there's now way for that to be "overblown."
Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) SMOD 2012 at March 19, 2012 08:15 AM (8y9MW)
Posted by: steevy at March 19, 2012 08:15 AM (7W3wI)
As soon as we settle the GOP confusion over our right to mandate product purchases we'll be calling you all back to work. Wink.
Posted by: SCoaMF at March 19, 2012 08:15 AM (mZ+XA)
Posted by: bob loblaw at March 19, 2012 08:15 AM (CzSc3)
Posted by: Drider at March 19, 2012 08:16 AM (HaJD9)
95Speaking of War on Women, the Fluke is back, this time at the side of Debbie Wassertwat-Schmutz and a spokeswoman from the National Council of Negro Women (I denounce myself for copy-pasting the organization's name).
Posted by: HeatherRadish at March 19, 2012 12:11 PM (ZKzrr)
Gee, it's almost as if she's like a communist operative or something.
Posted by: Jay Guevara at March 19, 2012 08:16 AM (8g3RA)
Posted by: Truman North at March 19, 2012 08:16 AM (I2LwF)
Contract law? Property rights? Government responsibility? Non-issues, all.
Posted by: BlackOrchid at March 19, 2012 12:09 PM
Don't worry about the EO updated that Ed and Gabe told us not to get excited about, because the law says King Barry can't use it to seize everything in an "emergency". As ironclad as granny's bond guarantees
Posted by: kbdabear at March 19, 2012 08:17 AM (Y+DPZ)
Posted by: Clint Eastwood, Shill at March 19, 2012 08:17 AM (MMC8r)
It should be noted that the professors are members of a union (against their will, of course).
The union's response is to deny the economic reality. They claim the money is there. You know what they didn't propose? To have the existing union professors give up some of their goodies to protect their brethren.
Posted by: AmishDude at March 19, 2012 08:17 AM (T0NGe)
Clint, you up for it?
Posted by: Drider at March 19, 2012 12:16 PM (HaJD9)
It's the fourth quarter in America and my check from Obama bounced. Are you feeling lucky, punk? Well are you?
Posted by: Clint "I don't read scripts" Eastwood at March 19, 2012 08:17 AM (RD7QR)
Posted by: Adam Smith's Invisible Pimp Hand at March 19, 2012 08:18 AM (tKFT6)
Posted by: maddogg at March 19, 2012 08:18 AM (OlN4e)
Posted by: USNA1985 at March 19, 2012 08:18 AM (HDCbD)
Posted by: SCoaMF at March 19, 2012 08:19 AM (mZ+XA)
Posted by: WeekendAtBernankes at March 19, 2012 08:19 AM (L5TO4)
Though other manufactures are finding out that if the name of the hybrid/electric isn't PRIUS, it does not contain a sufficient level of smug for the target customer
Posted by: Bob's Country Bunker at March 19, 2012 08:19 AM (KtT0H)
Posted by: Jay in Ames at March 19, 2012 08:19 AM (UEEex)
http://onscreencars.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/TheHomer.jpg
Posted by: Clint Eastwood, Shill at March 19, 2012 08:19 AM (MMC8r)
Posted by: Kerry at March 19, 2012 08:19 AM (a/VXa)
I actually did, last week, somewhere. I can't remember how much it was exactly. I think they were saying like $1000/yr or something like that. I wish I could remember, because now that I say that to myself, it doesn't sound right...
Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) SMOD 2012 at March 19, 2012 08:19 AM (8y9MW)
Posted by: Fritz at March 19, 2012 08:20 AM (/ZZCn)
Posted by: mike at March 19, 2012 08:20 AM (kqXHe)
Posted by: @ParisParamus at March 19, 2012 12:14 PM
I loved the new Camaro until I sat in one. You get more visibility inside of an Abrams tank
Posted by: kbdabear at March 19, 2012 08:21 AM (Y+DPZ)
She's Sheehaning herself.
Posted by: AmishDude at March 19, 2012 08:22 AM (T0NGe)
2. The Volt was in development while SCOAMF was still an Illinois state senator. I believe the concept was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in 2005 or 2006.
Yes, but putting it into production took bureaucrats.
Posted by: nickless at March 19, 2012 08:22 AM (MMC8r)
F Parts. Where are they getting electricity?
And if they're just running it on gas, why not appropriate something with better pure gas mileage?
Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) SMOD 2012 at March 19, 2012 08:22 AM (8y9MW)
Posted by: Schwalbe: The Me-262© at March 19, 2012 08:23 AM (UU0OF)
Posted by: USNA1985 at March 19, 2012 08:23 AM (HDCbD)
Posted by: bad guy at March 19, 2012 08:25 AM (H0gWt)
Posted by: Jeremy Clarkson at March 19, 2012 08:25 AM (Y+DPZ)
Actually- having test-driven the Prius and a couple of other hybrids- the Prius drives better, and has more cabin space. It's superior to (for instance) the Honda Civic hybrid, in those areas. So it could be that, among the crowd who doesn't do the math to realize they're not actually saving money, they're picking the Prius because they actually like it better.
Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) SMOD 2012 at March 19, 2012 08:25 AM (8y9MW)
Posted by: steevy at March 19, 2012 08:25 AM (7W3wI)
Ugh, my daughter Julie is sick. Needs to come home. Oh well! There goes my carefree afternoon of Limbaugh, AoS and NCAA 12 on the PS3!
I'll come back later and post more off-topic bullshit borderline-trolling comments at some point. Probably. But I can't promise anything.
Posted by: Truman North at March 19, 2012 08:26 AM (I2LwF)
How the fuck can you rush a product to market that was first invented in the days of Roothaford B. Hayes?
You know why my perpetual motion machine and cold fusion reactor keep failing? 'Cause I'm rushing it to market to meet demand, that's why!
Posted by: Jimmuy at March 19, 2012 08:26 AM (BjEK3)
Posted by: Jimmah at March 19, 2012 08:27 AM (mZ+XA)
Posted by: nickless at March 19, 2012 08:27 AM (MMC8r)
Why are they still advertising then? I just saw a commercial, "I think it's stylish and makes a statement" Are you kidding me?
Makes perfect sense, if the statement you're making is "I'm an idiot."
Posted by: Jay Guevara at March 19, 2012 08:28 AM (8g3RA)
Could be, if they could close the Departments of Diversity, Sustainability, and Contraception.
Heresy, I know.
Posted by: HeatherRadish at March 19, 2012 08:30 AM (ZKzrr)
Posted by: Adam Smith's Invisible Pimp Hand at March 19, 2012 08:30 AM (tKFT6)
Late last week a moron posted an Iowahawk tweet about Volts being the perfect date car because you can count on running out of go at 25 miles and then have a nice fire to neck by.
Posted by: Retread at March 19, 2012 08:30 AM (joSBv)
Posted by: Voluble at March 19, 2012 08:33 AM (C9bRU)
4. Tesla travesty
Here’s another tragic “green jobs” story. Tesla Motors received $465 million from the Obama administration to produce electric cars. So far the company has created 400 jobs, at a cost of over a million dollars per job, by producing the Tesla Roadster, with a price tag of $100,000 per car. Unfortunately, should the electric car ever become fully discharged, it would cost $40,000 in repairs.
Posted by: Jimmah at March 19, 2012 08:35 AM (mZ+XA)
That's why you NEED to buy Chevy volts, ya hear, America?
Posted by: The poor, poor children! at March 19, 2012 08:36 AM (wQ1iq)
Posted by: The Pitt at March 19, 2012 08:37 AM (7lbXY)
They gave them a year's severance and 18 months of health insurance. I think UNI is very serious about this. They cut mostly obscure programs like specialties within larger departments. None of the core programs are getting cut. Geology is getting cut but Enviro Science stays. It's losing a lot of Master's programs, but UNI is a teacher's college fundamentally.
The only things that I see being rescued are French and German teaching. That seems like a real loss for UNI and its core mission. But I don't think the tenured profs will garner any sympathy. They might save a French or German prof and keep those programs. Otherwise, I think they'll go and I think ISU and UI won't be so interested in rescuing UNI from their overindulgence.
Posted by: AmishDude at March 19, 2012 08:41 AM (T0NGe)
Posted by: Chris M at March 19, 2012 08:42 AM (7GpjJ)
Problem solved. Whaddya got for me next?
Posted by: Joe Biden at March 19, 2012 08:43 AM (Y+DPZ)
Posted by: wheatie at March 19, 2012 08:48 AM (Izn98)
This isn't ludditism. This is rooting for cronyism to fail.
I'd love to see battery technology developed to the point where it is practical, privately. Keep govt. out of it. They just end of picking losers and lining the pockets of cronies. Let govt. instead establish a cheap electricity policy, an area where they can actually do some good, like by fixing the nasty regulatory climate for nuke.
Posted by: The Pitt at March 19, 2012 08:50 AM (7lbXY)
Assuming 15,000 miles per year driving (feds) that is 428 charges per year or 7714 kw-hrs per year.
In the SE at .07/kw-hr that is $540/year. In the NE and CA at .15/kw-hr that would be slightly more than double or about $1100/year.
Posted by: Vic at March 19, 2012 08:53 AM (YdQQY)
In India they have cars powered with compressed air.
Posted by: The Pitt at March 19, 2012 08:53 AM (7lbXY)
BTW, I am a BSEE but I got an A+ in Luddism.
Posted by: Voluble at March 19, 2012 08:55 AM (C9bRU)
Posted by: Vic at March 19, 2012 08:55 AM (YdQQY)
Posted by: Deuce at March 19, 2012 08:56 AM (E55AK)
157Think about the children of those poor Chevy workers!
That's why you NEED to buy Chevy volts, ya hear, America?
Posted by: The poor, poor children! at March 19, 2012 12:36 PM (wQ1iq)
Hey, what about us?
Posted by: The Polar Bears at March 19, 2012 08:58 AM (8g3RA)
162The perfect solution to electric car ranges is to award subsidies and tax breaks to companies that make very long extension cords.
Nah, that's a ridiculous idea.
What we should do is get everyone at one end of the country so it tips that way, then all the cars can run downhill there. And then everyone goes to the other end of the country so the cars can return. Downhill both ways!
And they say Brother Barack is the smart one.
Posted by: Hank Johnson at March 19, 2012 09:02 AM (8g3RA)
170 LOL, sail car. Would love to see people "tacking" in the wind on crowded I-95.
Hey, without gas tanks....at least the pile-ups wouldn't explode or burst into flames. Heh.
Posted by: wheatie at March 19, 2012 09:02 AM (Izn98)
Posted by: Vic at March 19, 2012 09:05 AM (YdQQY)
168....In India they have cars powered with compressed air.
Do they have refill stations for those? .....Hmm, that could work well in a city like Washington, DC....with all those politicians full of hot air.
Posted by: wheatie at March 19, 2012 09:05 AM (Izn98)
I love it when so many non-automotive people (who's total automotive company knowledge and experience consists of buying a new car) weigh in and tell us how it was done and why. Perhaps it's because they never read Lutz's book "Car Guys and Bean Counters" in which he tells EXACTLY WHY the Volt was created AND WHEN. That book is not making anyone an expert on the auto industry, but it helps with understanding this topic and the bailout (which I did not support).
Another thing for all of you - auto plants shut down all the time when sales slow down. This is pretty much a non-event, until it's for the car you all use as the poster child for what's wrong with America...then it's even more evidence of the failure of the administration that you want to target.
Here are the FACTS - not opinions -
1. The Volt was in engineering and planning well before Obama was elected and inaugurated. The development, testing and tooling up of a new car - especially one with the advanced powertrain of this car takes 3-5 years. Obama did not snap his fingers to make this happen.
2. No purchased nor leased Volt has caught fire. The fire you all handily refer to occurred weeks after very destructive crash testing and improper post-crash procedures. Other fire tests were performed on purpose later.
3. This is the most advanced automotive powertrain in the world. It is better than the Prius, better than the Leaf. It gives what many people want - electric car without range anxiety. All of you claiming to be patriots should be celebrating that an American company came up with this technological wonder, rather than complaining about how it's a failure of government.
I like AoSHQ a lot, but you guys have to stop beating this car up - it's not the villian you think it is.
Posted by: TransamDave at March 19, 2012 09:06 AM (zz1BZ)
Posted by: Chris M at March 19, 2012 09:09 AM (7GpjJ)
I would agree with you except:
Taxpayer money subsidized the development of the car
Taxpayer money subsidizes the sale of the car
And it still will not sell. Therefore it is a damn government failure and a POS.
Posted by: Vic at March 19, 2012 09:10 AM (YdQQY)
What Vic said. And also the fact that the cost sill never come down because the cost of the metal to make the batteries is only going up from here.
So I can buy the Volt for $40,000, or get a $20,000 Honda Fit and never spend all of the difference on gas.
Know how the ZeroHedge types are always on about Peak Oil? Think about Peak Lithium - we're already there.
Posted by: brian at March 19, 2012 09:21 AM (y05cf)
Posted by: You know I'm always right at March 19, 2012 09:30 AM (Vg4Vv)
Posted by: reason at March 19, 2012 09:35 AM (sPO/s)
Don't matter what you say Dave, the average conservative is ideologically bent on dissing anything out of GM or Chrysler... no matter that their Toyota, Honda or Audi is heavily subsidized by their respective governments and dripping with socialism. Just as long as it isn't American socialism, they'll support it.
Posted by: Bawb Scheisser at March 19, 2012 09:38 AM (vhwRj)
That's just 100% wrong. It's golf cart tech with an onboard generator. The gas isn't connected to the wheels like the Prius.
Batteries are NEVER going to store power as good as gas. We MIGHT come up with some pourable rechargeable liquid that can be powered up and then poured in but it ain't going to come oozing out of the ground.
Posted by: DaveA at March 19, 2012 09:52 AM (82EGV)
I loved the new Camaro until I sat in one. You get more visibility inside of an Abrams tank
Posted by: kbdabear
Get the supercharged version and practice the 1st rule of Italian driving.
Posted by: DaveA at March 19, 2012 09:54 AM (82EGV)
"I loved the new Camaro until I sat in one. You get more visibility inside of an Abrams tank."
TRUTH. Two cars I thought I would like until I got one as a rental while on travel:
1) H3
2) Camaro
Fortunately, I was given a "frequent renter" free upgrade, and didn't actually pay the "Cool Car" rate for either one.
The side windows on the Camaro are so short, I don't think you could get a Route 44 from Sonic through it.
Posted by: reason at March 19, 2012 09:55 AM (sPO/s)
Posted by: ole scratch at March 19, 2012 09:56 AM (+56Bh)
Posted by: Adirondack Patriot at March 19, 2012 10:13 AM (iAUf+)
It is not subsidized POS.
Posted by: Vic at March 19, 2012 10:18 AM (YdQQY)
Posted by: Lady Gaga at March 19, 2012 10:35 AM (hGRh5)
Posted by: Schwalbe: The Me-262© at March 19, 2012 10:37 AM (UU0OF)
30 years from now, we will look back at these times and laugh, as we speed down the freeways in our vehicles run by External Combustion Engines.
Rocket cars?
Posted by: Entropy at March 19, 2012 11:58 AM (TULs6)
I've seen more Teslas on the road than Volts. In the last two years I've spotted at least two Teslas and I spotted my first Volt just a week ago. I almost wanted to follow the guy just to ask him about his amazingly "rare" car.
Posted by: digitalbrownshirt at March 19, 2012 03:03 PM (eHwT1)
The fact of the matter is, it's highly advanced technology. Its exceedingly well engineered. Bashing its design is just wishful thinking on yalls' part - it's at the cutting edge of automotive technology, and absolutely NOTHING that its detractors have said on this thread have refuted it in any real manner. On top of it all, it was being designed BEFORE the bailout.
You are thinking, whining, and acting like liberals..."I want it to be a bad car, because IT WILL EMBARRASS SOMEONE I DON'T LIKE."
Well, it's not. Too @#$%@ bad. Will it be a financial failure? Maybe. But so was the Tucker, the Cord, the Wills St. Claire, and even mighty Deusenburg.
Is GM sleazy because it took the bailout? Sure! Is the subsidy basically designed for rich people? YES. Did GM Corporate and the UAW basically steal from us to patch up a mess that they made? DEFINITELY.
But this bashing-by-association is lame - pathetic. Here's a tip - if you don't know @$## about a subject like automobiles, how about you stop acting as if you do?
Posted by: seguin at March 19, 2012 09:07 PM (OFZmB)
By the way -Tesla took, or is in process of aquiring a DOE loan to help them get the next car up and running. Sound familiar?
I love the Tesla idea and their cars. We'll see how that works out - I want them to succeed, government loan or not.
Posted by: TransamDave at March 20, 2012 08:52 AM (zz1BZ)
Posted by: HeftyJo at March 20, 2012 10:32 AM (Wv4lq)
Posted by: larry scheib at March 23, 2012 04:39 PM (ykg1n)
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The Electric Car.
Posted by: nickless at March 19, 2012 07:51 AM (MMC8r)