Chevy Volt Halted. Who did not see this coming?

[EddieWalker]

False. We just had a well drilled on a section that we had sold but on which we retained the mineral rights.
No problem getting a permit to drill. Unfortunately it looks like the well is a failure. Luckily we did not invest in the well drilling. Cost $3million.

Sorry. I was generalizing. There are billions of barrels of known oil on public land that is off limits to drilling. What small amounts of oil that comes out of wells drilled on private land isn't significant or even measurable on the overall scale. While your well and everyone else who has wells helps, it's not what we're talking about when discussing drilling in the US.

Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

The work force only gets to make what they are allowed. I'm not of the union mindset anyway. Any system that is not merit based is going to cause the business to fail. Anything made domestically has become an assembly operation except for chassis and a little sheet metal. So one can't even say that a Ford or a GM is US made when the vast majority of parts are imported to begin with.

If you have a conversation with an auto industry buyer about how they do business, then it is not hard to understand why virtually all the suppliers have either gone bankrupt, or been consolidated to the point that they are too big to be pushed around anymore.

Local vendors making parts for prototypes are expected to turn them around in a few weeks, then wait 60+ days on their money. Just imagine what the conversation sounds like when you have an urgent job with a deadline with those terms.. The only people who agree to those terms charge 2x to 10x what anyone reasonable would, but their cash flow can't carry them that long.

Sounds like we agree that the auto industry has it's issues.

Do we agree that creating the Volt just adds to those problems?

Eddie

 

[ultrarunner]

Nissan Leaf all electric car:

Use patterns and owners profile Based on the aggregate information compiled until late April 2011 through the telematics systems included in all Leafs and reflecting the patterns of early adopters, Nissan found that the average trip length is 7 miles (11 km) and the average charging time is 2 hours and 11 minutes, with most owners charging on a Level 2, 220-volt charger at their homes. Nissan also found that early adopters are a combination of conscientious environmentalists and tech-savvy individuals.[209][210]



Additional information compiled until mid July 2011 and based on the owners profile from more than 4,000 Leaf delivered in the US market, Nissan found that the Leaf the primary vehicle for most owners; 60% of Leaf sales in the country took place in California, led by Los Angeles and San Francisco; Leaf owners drive less than 60 mi (97 km) a day; and the Toyota Prius is the number one vehicle also owned by Leaf buyers, with 19%. The information compiled allowed Nissan to build a profile of the first owners, finding that Leaf buyers are college educated; have excellent credit, with an average credit score of 750, and have a combined household income of US$140,000 a year.[180]

Sounds about right... got several Leafs, half dozen Prius, a couple of Escape and Toyota Hybrids in the Doctor's parking lot at work...

Both of the Docs that drive Leafs were driving large BMW's before...

So far they really like their Leafs... they were given free home chargers, also get to drive the carpool lane for commuting and they both have solar power at home and their offices...

They also are part of a test group that closely monitors their daily ownership experience... so no payments for the first 12 months... what's not to like?

 

[ultrarunner]

Interesting but not germane to todays America...just the cost of insurance for infrastructure maintenance contractors would make an electric trolley system unfeasible...compared to rubber tires-self propelled coaches that don't need tracks to get to the repair garage...

In wide spread metro areas...small scale "bullet train" systems that would relieve mass local commuting would save more energy and produce less pollution than metro RTS's...and the initial infrastructure costs would be less than overhead electrical grids... I would think...

San Francisco has a complete network of electric trolley cars plus cable cars...

The self propelled coaches were not a good match for the much of the city's terrain.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I never bought into the hybrid crap and never will. That's what I like about Mazda and the new Mazda3 we picked up. They skipped hybrid tech and redesigned the engine, trans, chassis, etc... instead.
Our 2012 Mazda3i touring loaded with everything but a sunroof/leather was $21k with the new SkyActiv direct injected 155hp 4-cyl 2.0l rated at 28/40 mpg with a new 6 speed auto returns 35 mpg mixed and is a blast to drive!

I agree with you on this one MACE...
Mazda got it right...
Hybrids or electric vehicles make sense if gas was $20 per gallon...
That is what Obama wants...

 

[powerpace]

Purely Political Move

Representatives Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Peter Welch of Vermont and Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, asked Obama Feb. 22 to release oil from the strategic stockpile. Republicans opposed the request.

霑*eleasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve would be, at best, a short-term benefit, Senator John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican, said in a statement Feb. 28. 蜈ｸhis purely political move would cause more harm than good.

The Republicans, the energy industry and some Democrats oppose a release now, saying supplies must be available, for example, in the event Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz, the transit point for 20 percent of the world逞ｴ oil.
.: US Senator John Barrasso [R-WY] :: Press Office :.

 

[Monster5601]

I never bought into the hybrid crap and never will.

I work on the development of hybrid system for automotive use (along with other projects), I don't get it and neither do the engineers I work with.

We figure the whole concept of the current hybrid speak is because it is politically correct and I'm making a living with it

It certainly doesn't make sense economically. I'm still driving my 03 Tahoe, 64 miles a day round trip to work. If gas was $6 a gallon, driving my Tahoe, which is paid for, is still less costly than a hybrid car payment.

Our campus employes several thousand and there is a total of one recharge station in the parking lot. What does that tell you?

 

[Diamondpilot]

on the money...

I think we (American taxpayers) still hold 500 million shares of GM stock...to break even on the "investment" the shares would have to be sold at $53+ per share...The PPS of GM closed today at less than half that ($26.00)...
...the less loss they can show on their quarterly reports before the election the better (for those that are responsible anyway)...

Yep.... I love it when people have the balls to actually say GM has paid back the bailout loans. :confused2:

I will never happen in my lifetime. They will be bankrupt or near it in 10 or less years. I have said this since the day of the bailout. Not enough changes were made. History will repeat itself as it has with failed electric cars and this company. What a joke.... Problem is its on us, the taxpayers.

Chris

 

[crazyal]

I love the conspiracy theories. Companies make decisions based on money, or more importantly profit. If they can't make a profit then they end up like GM a few years ago, in bankruptcy. To make a profit management must make projections on where the market is heading and head that direction.

 

[Monster5601]

There are two more methods of producing power coming to market soon. You have already heard about CNG, that has been in the works for a while. We (America) have a lot of it and it is cheap and will divorces us from oil imports. It does have a lower BTU than LP or gas but can be used in hybrids as well as conventional. I am surprised this has taken so long to get to market since this is current technology (Generac) but I'm sure the surge in oil pushed the plans and our ability to except the technology.

The second method of power generation is a miniature diesel turbine to turn a generator in a hybrid power train (search for Pininfarina Cambiano). This may turn out to be a more efficient approach than gas over electric.