Chrysler’s Alternative Fuel Vehicle

I just came across this article on Chrysler’s plan to offer a natural gas-based car in 2017. 

I know this sounds like a strange reaction, but personally, this cheeses me off.  I see it is an attempt to confuse and distract the consumer from alternate fuel vehicles, so Big Auto can sell more internal combusion engines and Big Oil can pump more gasoline for a few more years while the market scratches its head and tries to sort this out. 

Of course, Chrysler is free to choose whatever product marketing strategy it cares to.  But the net of this decision will be only two things:

a) An ultimate failure for Chrysler (and the tax-payers who bailed them out after their last many decades of failure).  There is no way in the universe that CNG (even though it’s cheap now) will become a viable fuel for the US long-term.  How much more will they need from us to cover this fiasco?  

and

b) A short-term confusion and turn-off for the consumer, as it will serve to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the evolution to EVs.

As always, not everyone sees it the way I do.  I just spoke with Plug-in America co-founder and heavy-duty EV advocate Paul Scott.  Paul welcomes Chrysler’s idea, and (though he didn’t say it) clearly thought I was half crazy for my reaction to the news. 

But hey — it’s a difference of opinion that makes horseraces.