Posts Tagged by auto industry
The Auto Industry Embraces Electric Vehicles – Kicking and Screaming
| January 24, 2012 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
If you’re looking for evidence that the auto companies are resisting the migration to EVs, here’s news from sunny California. It appears that Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota have successfully lobbied the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and members of the California State Legislature to open a gaping loophole in the new zero-emission vehicle mandate. Now, automakers that ‘overcomply’ with the new Federal greenhouse gas (GHG) standards can get away with producing fewer EVs. This sweetheart deal allows an automaker to cut the number of pure electric-drive vehicles by as much as 50% over the 2018 to 2021 timeframe in exchange for just 2 grams per mile GHG overcompliance during that time.
Jay Friedland of Plug-In America, whom I interviewed for my first book (Renewable Energy – Facts and Fantasies) sums it up: This is a bad deal for California and for the United States.
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More on the Auto Industry from Wayne Goldman
| August 26, 2009 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
Here’s an additional conversation with Wayne Goldman that I thought readers would find interesting. I happened to have rented an Audi A4 diesel when I was in Spain a couple of weeks ago that got well over 50 MPG. I remember wondering if we’re so concerned about gas mileage why we couldn’t have such a car in the US. But I forgot about that until Wayne wrote back to me as follows:
I’ll put together an outline of an article for your feedback…actually, I’m down on the entire automotive industry…I’ve been a car buff since the 50′s when I was driving a supercharged street rod…I’ve owned a wide assortment of classic sports cars and have seen the auto industry push the gimmicks rather then the technology…I was in California in the mid 50′s when the Volkswagen Beetle became the hot car…I could not believe how a car that was so different from the typical Detroit iron became such a fad…I bought one in 1956 and I started to believe that honest engineering would succeed…we really don’t need 3,000 to 4,000 pound vehicles as commuters…
We will only be able to live on this planet when we accept the fact that we are throwing away our resources by designing and building homes and cars that are not liveable…If Lotus can build a sports car with an 1,800 cc Toyota engine that can compete with Corvettes and Ferraris…and the Europeans are getting 50 MPG with their diesel powered cars…why can’t we utilize existing proven technology in this country…we’re the wealthiest country on earth and we don’t have high speed trains…something is wrong…I’m 75 and still riding my motorcycle…Sorry but I had to get that off my chest…I feel better already…
I wrote back: Yes. Something, indeed, is wrong.
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Auto Companies' Conundrum – How To Sell What We Have Now
| August 3, 2009 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
Steve Ryan from Australia writes: There must be millions of new internal combustion engine (ICE) cars sitting at ports and storage lots all over the world awaiting delivery to owners who do not want to buy them.
I have to think you’re right, Steve. As if the car companies needed more trouble, they face customers’ anticipation of a disruptive innovation — anticipation that I would think would make it very hard for them to sell what’s in dealers’ showrooms right this minute. My 1995 BMW 540i has 204,000 miles on it, but it’s still in my garage because I’ve sworn to myself that I’m never going to by another ICE-based car. I can’t believe I’m alone in that decision.
For grins, I called my local Toyota dealer and asked his, “When can I buy a Prius that I can plug in?” He said, “Oh, we have not plans to offer anything like that.” Now, of course, if by “we” he means Toyota, this is not at all true. But I’m sure, based on what he’s been told, he’s telling the truth. Why tell a dealer ANYTHING that will make it hard to sell what’s on his lot?
