Chevy Volt: government subsidies and high gas taxes

[Elwar]

Now that Obama is the proud owner of a couple of car companies, I can see a future where automobile policy will go toward utilizing those companies for his own agenda.

For one thing, the Chevy Volt...a plug-in hybrid that was slated to come out in 2010, but will surely be given an extension due to the excuse of GM's financial troubles. The Obama administration hails the Volt as a leapfrog in technology over Toyota's Prius. But they see it as too expensive compared to similar cars in its class.

So...in come government subsidies. They already promised GM a $10,000 (or so) per car subsidy for the Volt, bringing the price to the mid 40s. But I can see them upping that number now that Obama is the new CEO to make it competitive with the Prius.

Also, with gas prices back down there hasn't been as much demand for hybrids as this past summer. You don't need to sit on a waiting list to get a Prius, they have them on the lots now.

So...what better way to push the newest technology to surpass the foreign competitor? High gas prices near the time of its release. Either through gas taxes or manipulation of the oil market.

Obama's Volt will put Hitler's Bug to shame.

[He Who Pawns]

Yes, it's basically guaranteed that the subsidy will go up, or the gov will find some other way to subsidize the Volt through some type of "liquidity" to GM.

BTW, wtf is going on with the bankruptcy. Last week they were saying it was about to happen, but now I'm reading that they are trying a bunch of nonsense in order to postpone bankruptcy. WTF is the point of that? We've already thrown tens of billions down the drain to postpone the only thing that can actually save GM.

[acptulsa]

Yes, it's basically guaranteed that the subsidy will go up, or the gov will find some other way to subsidize the Volt through some type of "liquidity" to GM.

BTW, wtf is going on with the bankruptcy. Last week they were saying it was about to happen, but now I'm reading that they are trying a bunch of nonsense in order to postpone bankruptcy. WTF is the point of that? We've already thrown tens of billions down the drain to postpone the only thing that can actually save GM.

The most likely explanation is a fresh application of leverage by the UAW.

[GBurr]

When are people going to learn that the only way you can eventually go green is if green energy can do the same job for a competitive price.

How am I supposed to haul a deer carcass on the roof of a Chevy Volt. What about pulling a boat or hauling lumber.

I hate people that tell me "a Prius is all the car you need"

No it isn't. Build me an electric truck that can tow 11,000 pounds and and haul 3,000 pounds and then I will consider going green.

[Objectivist]

How many government employees will be forced to drive them first? ANd where are they getting the electrical energy to charge these turds?

[silverhawks]

Chevy Volt - The People's Car! (in case people don't get Elwar's reference, that's where we get Volks-Wagen from; it was the brainchild of Adolf Hitler and Ferdinand Porsche)

Apart from anything else, the Volt AND the Prius paled into insignificance next to the potential in the GM Hy-Wire Concept; which would have not only seen an end to gasoline, but would have provided every person that bought one with a plug-in power generation plant to lower their utility costs, and when parked, could be plugged in to generate power towards the national grid.

They'd even costed out how much it would have taken to put hydrogen stations all across the United States, and it was a pittance compared to what has been spent in bailouts so far.

It was a truly revolutionary idea.

Related links:

General Motors Hy Wire (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4283994150742424443)

How GMs Hy-wire Works (http://auto.howstuffworks.com/hy-wire.htm)

GM Hy-wire concept to debut at Paris Motor Show (http://archive.cardesignnews.com/autoshows/2002/paris/preview/gm-hywire/)

General Motors Hy-wire (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_Hy-wire)

Larry Burns on the future of cars (http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/reinventing_the_car.html)


General Motors veep Larry Burns previews cool next-gen car design: sleek, customizable (and computer-enhanced) vehicles that run clean on hydrogen -- and pump energy back into the electrical grid when they're idle.

http://www.greenoptimistic.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/GM-Hy-Wire-Interior.jpg

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/3095/gm20hywirexo3.jpg

[angelatc]

Chevy Volt = Government subsidies = It Sucks To Be Ford

[silverhawks]

No it isn't. Build me an electric truck that can tow 11,000 pounds and and haul 3,000 pounds and then I will consider going green.

You would have liked the GM Hy-Wire then. Part of the concept was a snap-on, snap-off body shell; so you could have an pickup for when you needed it, an SUV, or a convertible.

The actual chassis and powerplant is 11 inches high; every shell was intended to snap down onto this chassis.

http://www.forum-auto.com/uploads/200405/sebswxs_1084629773_gm_hy_wire1.jpg

Hy-Wire Act (http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/2002-10/hy-wire-act)

[Objectivist]

Chevy Volt = Government subsidies = It Sucks To Be Ford

Not really if you look at the subsidies that Ford declined to take during the Great Depression, they and their employees came out ahead of General Motors and the other price fixed/subsidized auto makers. Ford knows this lesson all too well and GM isn't going to make it happen building cars that nobody wants or cannot be powered without new Coal or Nuclear power plants.

[Athan]

For one thing, the Chevy Volt...a plug-in hybrid that was slated to come out in 2010, but will surely be given an extension due to the excuse of GM's financial troubles. The Obama administration hails the Volt as a leapfrog in technology over Toyota's Prius. But they see it as too expensive compared to similar cars in its class.
....
Obama's Volt will put Hitler's Bug to shame.

Screw the Volt.

Check out Tesla's Model-S for 49,900 *drool*
http://www.teslamotors.com/models/index.php

http://static.flickr.com/3620/3388564188_4427beac12.jpg


And here is the Tesla Roadster with the Model - S
http://static.flickr.com/3610/3387798319_110b0964cc.jpg
That will put anybody's hitler bug to shame.

[Objectivist]

I got that beat, it takes less energy and fewer stops if you own a small diesel powered or diesel/hybrid. Electric cars will increase the cost of energy and put more people in their graves.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2008/02/vw-unveiling-an
http://gas2.org/2007/12/17/50-mpg-and-cleaner-than-gasoline-where-are-the-clean-diesels/

[Athan]

Electric cars will increase the cost of energy and put more people in their graves.[/url]

This is why we need to allow nuclear energy for cities and have a general movement of people who want small solar powered arrays and windmills in their house to help provide their own power. Oh and yes we need to drill for oil again in places such as Anwar.

Energy independence is independence of the b.s. system we currently have.

[Objectivist]

This is why we need to allow nuclear energy for cities and have a general movement of people who want small solar powered arrays and windmills in their house to help provide their own power. Oh and yes we need to drill for oil again in places such as Anwar.

Energy independence is independence of the b.s. system we currently have.

Wind is far too noisy for municipal areas, the drone of thousands of turbines would create a new type of serial killer. Then if you can have 24/7 power from Nuclear, Wind and Solar are a waste of resources.

[Athan]

Small wind turbines on homes is more of what I meant., sorry A small one can help cut power dependency at night. (I wish I had one considering all the wind we get in my area. I'm already independent of city water with a windmill water pump. Its fantastic and taste great. If your worried about the water you can also buy water filters to clean it up completely.)

Solar and wind power are for the individual to cut down on usage and dependency. Nuclear power can allow a city to provide electricity to businesses who provide power to cars. Again the market will dictate what people need. But we do not need dependency on foreign oil considering the fate of the dollar.