Here’s an interesting BBC story about the safety hazards associated with the Chevy Volt — specifically, the risk that its battery pack could catch fire after even a minor impact.
But the real problem may no longer be a technical one, but one of dented consumer confidence. Customers are handing back the keys in droves.
At first, when the problem first came to light, chief executive Dan Akerson offered to buy back Volt models from any concerned customers.
Then, when dozens of customers came forward wanting to hand back the keys to their cars, the company changed tack.
Rather than automatically buying back the Volts, and thus losing its as yet tiny army of early adopters of electric motoring technology, GM started offering them some 6,000 free loan cars while awaiting the outcome of an investigation into the fires.
And here’s why:
It now appears the fire hazard was first discovered back in June, when GM first heard about a fire in a Volt that occurred some three weeks after the vehicle had been crash tested.
Yet, almost five months went by before either GM or the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) told dealers and customers about the potential risks and urged them to drain the battery pack as soon as possible after an accident.
Part of the reason for delaying the disclosure was the “fragility of Volt sales” up until that point, according to Joan Claybrook, a former administrator at NHTSA.
“NHTSA could have put out a consumer alert,” he said, according to industry website Autoguide.com.
“Not to tell [customers] for six months makes no sense to me. They have a duty to inform people when they’ve rated a vehicle as ‘top rated’ and make it clear there’s a problem.”
While it isn’t surprising that GM was reluctant to announce product safety bulletins that would dampen early sales of its much touted hybrid, according to the linked story the NHTSA was an accessory to this as well, and for the same reason:
“Part of the reason for delaying the disclosure was the ‘fragility of Volt sales’ up until that point, according to Joan Claybrook, a former administrator at NHTSA.”
At Autoguide.com, there’s a story saying that Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood responded today saying the accusations were “absolutely not true.”
“We have opened an investigation into battery-related fires that may occur some time after a severe crash,” LaHood said. “Chevy Volt owners can be confident that their cars are safe to drive.”
Meanwhile, the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) filed a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for any and all communications with General Motors (GM).
The hi-tech little diesel VW isn’t cool?
Which planet are you on?
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… and *those* benefit you, too, double-dipper (there are other issues with that statement of yours, an ‘old saw’ brought up every time an arg like this takes place; see archives on this site for refutation).
The argument still stands notwithstanding hand-waving and diversion to the contrary.
And BTW, the name, if addressing me, is “_Jim” (OTW too many Jim(s) on the board).
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In summary, the most egregious “green” scams in the public spotlight today are the highly subsidized EV, wind, and solar programs. Based upon the discussions on this board, I would tend to believe that many posters are technically proficient people who have some small handle on Physics and thermodynamics. There seems to be a low opinion of the magical thinking that enables these scams. The rest of us are just angry about the fact that “greenies” strut about with an air of superiority while robbing their neighbors. Yes, it is theft even if the government steals for you because, If you refuse to receive the stolen property then the primary thief will soon stop stealing.
Fires and fuel efficiency be damned, it’s all about being victimized by know-nothings. Buy a Lambo or a Ferrari and I love ya because YOU paid for it.
Sal,
None of the house fires were the Volt’s fault. Again, read the facts. Not the hearsay.
The range of the Volt from 10c – 25c is 55 – 70km. That’s what we’re getting. From 0 – 10c it goes from 45 – 60km on a charge, depending on the outside ambient temperature. For the metrically challenged, that works out to be 4+ miles per kWh. In the coldest months people have been experiencing about 2+ miles per kWh. I don’t know where you get your numbers, but they are fabrications. If your numbers were right the Volt would get 15 – 25 miles per charge, which is obviously ludicrous as it’d have made the news big time if that’s what people were averaging. Even driving like a complete arse I’ve gotten 58km (~40 miles) to a charge, driving normally I’ve experienced 75km (~50 miles). And that’s a full mix of highway and city driving each and every day. My typical daily commute is just shy of 60kms. The temperatures here in Ontario are below zero Celsius regularly now and we’re still getting 48+km to a charge. It’s sad to watch people clutch at fabrications re: the Volt in what can only be the result of some type of pathological cognitive dissonance pertaining to GM having developed the most advanced electric car in the world.
As to “coal fired Volt’s”. Odd, I don’t see a coal generator on it.
Depending where your power comes from affects how the electricity is produced. Many places use power sources other than coal. In Canada, hydro and nuclear are the largest power generators (in Ontario they account for more than 75%). And, there’s all that “clean coal” that has made headlines on this site.
The pack does not have to be replaced after 10 years. That’s just another tale told by anti-Volt zealots. GM warrants the battery to retain its full charge capability for 8 years, thereafter it will degrade but still be useable. It doesn’t go from “fully useful” to “dead” at 10 years. And the current price of a pack is not reflective of a pack 10 years from now. It will most likely be $1000 or so. Considering that the Volt requires nearly no maintenance it’s an offsetting cost to the possibly necessary battery replacement. Next gen battery prices already peg the Gen II packs for the Volt at 1/3 the price of current packs, and those packs are due out in about 2 years. That’s how technology works, prices go down over time.
And where do you get your figures of 2000 going to private buyers, implying 4000 to corporations? I’ve seen no such figures. Again, back it up with facts. Hearsay doesn’t count.
As to comparing the Volt to the Cruze, that’s disingenuous. Might as well compare it to a bicycle then. The Volt is a luxury compact, akin to a 3-series BMW in many ways. I was in the market for a car of a specific price point and appointments. The Cruze didn’t meet that. The 3-series, Buick Regal, G37, etc. all fit as did the Volt. The Volt is just cooler. In fact, if you’re just looking for basic transportation and are worrying about money, buy a used car. It makes more sense. And luxury cars never truly make sense. But those of us who buy cars with modern amenities are the ones that allow said technology to trickle down to more pedestrian rides. It’s how the world functions.
My point re: the tax credits is that to be honest you have to be against all tax credits, not just the one for the Volt. Especially considering the fact the EV tax credits really don’t amount to as much as do others.
_Jim,
Never saw the underscore, it’s hidden by the highlight.
No, a diesel is not cool. No matter how small, it’s still just a diesel. I work in high tech. The Volt is considered cool by everyone I know. The drivetrain and electronics are very very advanced, very futuristic. Diesels, regardless of size. They’re not considered that cool by anyone I know.
If we’re going to move forward on technology it requires people buy into it. If you want to remain mired in the past, so be it. But a look at history shows governments have always subsidized technologies, be they aircraft, roadways, electrical grids, etc.
Besides, according to conservative financial theory, if someone retains money via a tax cut they spend it more appropriately than the government, so … the $7500 will be better spent than had the government received those funds as revenue.
Sal,
re: wind/solar, etc. I, too am against them but for more technical reasons. If they were practical and provided reliable and clean power, they’d be great. But they don’t provide either, so they’re just a waste of money. Better to expend capital on nuclear and hydro plants.
I understand your frustration with the tax credit, but look at it from my perspective. I’ve paid millions in taxes over the years. I’ve not tried to shunt money overseas to hide it, etc. Maybe I’m just stupid for being patriotic and paying my fair share. Having a small tax credit is not robbing anyone, since it’s just a bit less taxes I’m paying. And the lower fuel requirements of the Volt means more money staying here, as opposed to going abroad.
The US ships $400B to offshore oil producers. If 30% of that could be recouped via electric vehicles that would be $100B that could be spent in the US building new power plants, etc. I just don’t comprehend how helping a nascent technology get going so as to be of long term benefit to the US economy, the US national interest, etc. is a bad thing.
As to your statement re: “stolen property”, since the money is mine in the first place and I’m taxed on it, how is it stolen if the government opts to tax less of it? Then are all the other tax cuts Americans have enjoyed “stolen property” as well?
I’ve read many of the comments and articles on this site for years. I agree with some, disagree with others. I have multiple degrees in science, computer science and math. So I get much of what is written. I remain mildly skeptical, but mostly because I used to create computer models for complex networks for a living. They were never fully accurate so a model of the climate is even less so. I’ve looked at the “leaked” code, which is atrocious. But I do believe we’re changing the environment. Pollution is a bigger concern. But our CO2 output may be impacting/aggravating the climate. It’s just that from what I’ve read I’m not certain we can fully see a signal in the data. It’s why I’ve pushed my MPs here in Canada to demand all data be open and that unified models be funded and created by governments worldwide that can be accessed by everyone. Open science is key, and open models that are maintained by a core group of qualified computer scientists will ensure we have useful models. I could go on, but I think you get the picture.
Although I’m not a “greenie”, ironically, I’m greener than any of my green friends. Insulation, high efficiency appliances, furnaces, etc. low-e argon gas windows, etc. all add up to savings for me. So my house is very efficient, even though it’s nearly 30 years old. It’s greener than many new houses, much to the chagrin of my green friends who also tend to fall into emotional arguments. I tend to do that to people by not fitting a particular mold. And it gives me great joy that people must do mental gymnastics to decipher me since I can’t be stereotyped.
But as a Canadian, even a card carrying Conservative Canadian, I’m still considered by many Americans to be a liberal lefty pinko — universal healthcare is a right of a civilized people, for example. But if my American friends figure me too liberal, so be it. I won’t even try to dissuade people from those opinions. After all, everyone has a right to their opinions. I, like many, just desire they be backed by facts.
I’ll bet I’ve worked in more, and higher tech, than you have.
(What do you think – that we are out here are just potato farmers?)
Get over yourself already …
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There are several incorrect assumptions made above
1) Take out that 80’s Crown Vic and replace it with a 2012 E class, let’s see who does better against a new [sub] compact from Honda
2) All of the $/mile comparisons between gas and electric vehicles is completely invalid unless you consider the horrendous amount of taxes that a part of the price of gas, but not electricity.
There are so many half truths in the comments on the article it is not even funny.
It would be cool to have a BS meter beside each post, so we could vote on how much BS is contained in said post.
Further, when you consider that lithium is already in short supply, how are going to have enough of it to completely make the car fleet of the world electric. And since we are already reducing our supply of electricity, at least in N. America, how are we going to charge all of them????
Let me simplify this, taxes are paid despite the protests of the taxed, under the penalty of law. The “fair share” of my earnings given to you for your “right” to health care or for any half-a**ed energy scheme dreamed up by government scumbags to distribute to their cronies is not up to you to define. Theft is theft and, those who benefit from it , under any program, are party to that theft.
My numbers on the Volt come from several pre-market Volt owners who kept and published detailed diaries. The most notable of which was done in NJ during late spring and summer. Average range was 37 mi. and average charge was a little over 14KWH. The test conditions were ideal: not Phoenix in the summer or Minot in the winter.
Stating that a $10K battery pack will cost $1K at some future date when all of the Li is in our land fills is pure and ridiculous speculation. The pack will need replacement at 100K miles, not in eight years, not in ten years – 100K mi. You will need to absorb that cost whether you keep the car, trade in the car, or sell the car (but not if you set the car on fire).
“Green”, as it is generally practiced, is simply self-congratulatory self-gratification. It hardly conserves anything and is almost completely used as a means of wealth distribution from the poorest to the wealthiest as facilitated by corrupt government types.
BTW, EVs are not a nascent technology. The vast preponderence of automobile companies around the turn of the 20th century were EV companies. Henry Ford envisioned his automobile offering to be an EV. He found that EVs were range limited, too expensive for all but the richest, thus not an economically viable idea. So did everyone else, that is, until corrupt government officials found that the EV was the best vehicle for funneling taxpayers money to their friends. Wind -same. Solar – same. Healthcare – same. Federal level education department – same.
A couple of corrections. I never said it was an 80s Crown Vic. I just said it was a Crown Vic. It was actually a recent Crown Vic, about 3 years old, tops.
Taxes, for the wealthy, can be “adjusted” courtesy of all kinds of loopholes not available to those of lesser means. It’s why I’ve always been a fan of a simple, flat tax and value added taxes so that everything is simpler and, based on your consumption, you get taxed accordingly. I won’t get into an argument re: taxation and healthcare, etc. since it’s a pointless thing to do with Americans. I and most other Canadians believe government can actually make your life better (healthcare is one, regardless of what some may claim — we live longer and are healthier on average than Americans, for example; same with education, we’re better educated. Damn government making us healthy and educated).
Furthermore, the government can do a fine job of controlling greed as evidenced by the fact our country didn’t have the meltdown everyone else did where government regulations “got out of the way of the market”. The Governor of the Bank of Canada is now the Chairman of the Financial Stability Board, a recognition of the fact we ran our economy right while everyone else drove theirs into the ground. As documented in the 1930s, one of the main purposes of government is to act as a brake on greed so as not to relive what happened in the 30s. We seem to have forgotten those lessons.
Not sure about anywhere but here in Ontario, but we have taxes on our electricity — at least 50%, probably higher. No idea if it’s comparable to gas or not. But considering the fact that the power plants are funded by taxes it’s all rather moot as they get you coming and going.
The lithium in the batteries is recoverable and can be recycled. That’s part of the advantage of lithium. They’re not just going to be tossed whole into landfills.
New lithium mines are being opened in Canada as I type (Val d’Or, Northern Quebec) to provide battery grade lithium to factories popping up in the US. One mine has a proven reserve of 20M tonnes. The goal for that mine is to output 20,000 tonnes (44M lbs) of battery grade lithium PER YEAR. A kWh lithium cell requires somewhere between 125g – 150g of battery grade lithium. Taking the upper limit, which is about 1/4 lb, just the Quebec mine will create enough lithium for >10M Volt battery packs ANNUALLY. Since that’s just one mine, I think we don’t have a near-term worry.
Note that the same holds for mines in Australia. I even hear mines are opening in California. Every resource on earth is limited, but to not build something because something is limited is rather nearsighted.
Green, as it’s practiced, is truly self-congratulating and self-serving. I fully agree. It’s why my green friends get upset that I’m not green in their narrow view. Instead, because of cost-savings, etc., I am, ironically, more green than they are. I’ll let you guys parse that. For example, when we renovated our house we installed high-efficiency everything. Our electrical bill is now lower than before the renos by quite a bit; our heating bill is now as low as it was 20 years ago — when there was just two of us, not 4. Being green without it being financially or otherwise beneficial is silly — unless you’re loaded and just want to be smug about it. It’s why I always recommend to my friends and family simple things to save them money — when you replace your furnace, get a high-efficiency one for a few bucks more, same for a high-efficiency AC. Insulate your attic. When you replace your windows, spend that extra little bit for insulated, low-e argon windows, etc. Put in LED lights, they’re awesome and you’ll probably never replace them — a tad pricey, but the savings and longevity (and lack of hassle of replacing them in hard to reach places) makes up for it over time. Those little things result in cost-recovery. My parents, converting from an oil furnace to natural gas, recouped the cost of the new furnace in 3 years!
And note, many things don’t make sense if strictly viewed from a financial perspective. Financially a luxury car or an advanced drivetrain car like the Volt is rarely cost-effective. It’s more an emotional thing. If we were all just logical there would be no Ferraris or Corvettes or Porsches or Cadillacs or BMWs. We’d all be driving little 4-bangers with steel wheels and hubcaps.
I am confused by the 14kWh charge. I’ve experienced a max of 12, an average of 10. The EPA determined a full charge is maximum 12.9kWh. All the mags (MotorTrend, C&D, etc.) all showed 10 – 12kWh for a full charge. I’m rather perplexed by the 14kWh since none of the articles I’ve read show that as an average when the fully charge is 12.9. The battery, a 16kW unit, only uses 10kWh ensuring it operates within the optimal band for Li-Ion batteries.
As for stats, you can check out a lot of them at voltstats.net. That site collects info directly from OnStar (each user must agree and register). The stats are then provided for everyone to see. You can see a wide variety of ways people drive the Volt, from ways that seem to imply nearly never charging it to those who seem to never go further than their daily range. There are 267 entries currently, which from a statistical sample point of view is more than enough to provide valid statistics even for hundreds of thousands of operational vehicles let along 6000.
EPA numbers for Volt – 37 Mi/charge. 2.7 mi/KWH. 10Hours to charge fully. Spontaneous combustion on a cold day – priceless.
Not sure that someone mentioned this…. but do the insight or prius have the same susceptibility? I havent found anything that shows they are going to explode after an impact. Just goes to show that GM really doesnt have the safety of their consumers at the forefront of their business model.
It’s more of a “Let’s make the car,and apologize later if people die because of it” mentality. Typical government subsidized corporation mentality. Get rid of your VOLT if you bought one and find a prius/insight if you really need to feel warm and fuzzy about the car you drive.
Hmmm .. your ‘story’ is on thin ice; what year was the Crown Vic available for purchase by the public (as a discontinued model series (the Crown Vic) BUT available as part of ‘fleet sale’, as a ‘cop car’ or Taxi?)
Signed,
just another uneducated ‘Potato Farmer’ to be passed over, denigrated and told “I know better than you”
Silicon gulch,
Texas
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This man needs his own blog where we can find these ‘gems’ anytime of the day of night … or the name of that ‘country’ as well …
Team up with R. Gates there and MAYBE you’d draw an audience … of one or two …
Signed,
just another Potato Farmer
Silicon Gulch
Texas
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Hey Gene-boy, you owe it to yourself to test drive one of these babies THEN come back here and make the claim straight-faced:
“A diesel engine isn’t cool.”
http://www.vw.com/en/tdi/jetta.html
Won’t see many ‘Volts’ on the track here (at about the 3:50 point note that the tires are ‘talking’):
I’ve got to think a hybrid-anything would handle like a pig through those corners …
Then, there is is:
Signed,
just another Potato Farmer
Silicon Gulch
Texas
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Posted without comment:
Potato Farmer
Silicon Gulch
Texas
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BTW, _Jim, it was a cop car that hit my daughter during the long weekend of May. I guess I have to be explicit. Thanks for questioning my integrity. I never questioned yours nor your intelligence. Though, as a potato farmer, I’m suitably impressed with your insights into various technologies. They must be proud of you down in the Gulch…
As for the videos, pretty lame and grasping. Look at the Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid. Or the forthcoming i8 from BMW. Or the forthcoming Ferrari hybrid. Or the many others that are definitely coming from all the world’s automakers. Hybrid or electric doesn’t have to mean slow.
As to the Jetta vs. the Prius, here are the comparable numbers as posted by Inside Line for the Volt (http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2011/05/il-track-tested-2011-chevrolet-volt.html, ):
1/4 mile: 16.6s at 85.3mph
0-60: 8.6s
Slalom: 61.4mph
Have any of you guys even driven a Volt or just too self-righteous to do so? If anyone opts to take one for a spin, it does handle well because of the lower centre of gravity which results in a low slung feeling to the car. If someone does take one for a spin, put it in “Sport” mode, and it’ll be a blast. Unless you’re afraid of taking one for a spin and liking it …
Of course, these aren’t performance cars. They’re family sedans. They serve a specific purpose, and do so admirably.
If I’m going to do a burnout, I’ll get a RWD car and do it right:
And if I’m planning on hitting the Nurburgring, I’ll take this with me so I can ride in comfort before and after terrorizing the ‘ring:
I’m sorry if my facts are getting in the way of your arguments, but I’m sure that won’t stop anyone else from posting silly statements such as Sal’s “spontaneous combustion on a cold day” comment.
RE: _Jim: (December 11, 2011 at 3:18 pm)
“Hey Gene-boy, you owe it to yourself to test drive one of these babies THEN come back here and make the claim straight-faced:”
If all practical sources of non-solar carbon power are exhausted without a suitable replacement, I think we might see people saving money all year so they can afford to make one drive like this. The next day, it’s back to the horse or bicycle.
Gene-boy, if I wanted to decimate your args (as others have) I would; as it is you’re only receiving ‘idle cycles’ in the process stream owing to more pressing matters on other fronts. Whithering fire from these guns I don’t think you could withstand. It is actually ‘more fun’ to egg on your ‘performance art’ behavior than it is to quash it (plus, it helps web-site hit count stats by driving traffic!)
As to your ‘high lighting’ of high-end hybrid show cars (one existing only paper yet as it is not yet in production?) in contrast to the models I cited: apples and oranges (you place the Volt in the same class as those you cited? absurd …)
Since you present no contrast as to ‘the Volts’ performance re: the VW product, I assume that is acquiescence as to ‘the Volts’ poor performance contrasted with the TDI as was the Toyota Prius’s …
In short, ‘the Volt’ must handle like a pig in the slalom run and probably has loooongish 1/4 mile acceleration time, maybe as bad as the original diesel Rabbit … do you remember what that number was when they first tested the diesel Rabbit? They literally ran-out-of-track testing it … did they have a similar experience testing ‘the Volt’?
Signed,
just another Potato Farmer
Silicon Gulch
Texas
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No Gene-boy, I’m happy with my ’81 300TD (5-cylinder turbocharged etc) purchased last a year ago in March … and purchased specifically on account of it’s low EMI-signature (esp. broad-band impulse noise) for field-strength ‘survey’ and DF work.
Do you have any idea what I would be alluding to in my reason for picking up the 300TD as stated in the above paragraph?
Any at all? Or is that too low-a-‘tech’ for your involvement or familiarity (maybe you are ‘software’, writing in a scripting language doing database accesses as opposed to something more challenging like writing Win ‘device drivers’ or real-time-control ‘code’ developed in assembly language destined for a PIC uC?)
(Not to mention the 300TD will, and has, run on WVO.)
Signed
just another Potato Farmer doing EMI/RFI and radio field strength msmst work
Silicon Gulch
Texas
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I expected to see a smiley emoticon after that post; that ‘test drive’ certainly brought a smile to my face! ;^)
– Potato Farmer
We hold posters here to a higher ethical and technical standard, than say, an RC or SkS; there were elements of your story which triggered further inquiry regarding the veracity of ‘your story’ (possible internal inconsistencies in your ‘story’ since the Crown Vic was discontinued for ‘public’ sale after 2007). And, you’re welcome.
Per – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Crown_Victoria#2008-2011:_Fleet_Sales
Potato Farmer
Silicon Gulch
Texas
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Dear Gene,
We here in the US have a long tradition of opposing overbearing government. We generally don’t like being dictated to by our ‘betters” and we certainly, for the most part, prefer to run our own lives on our own terms. We really do see taxation as theft and extortion ( what do YOU call it when someone demands more than half of your earnings under penalty of financial ruin or incarceration?).
For those of us who are engineers and scientists and generally logical and intelligent people, we find the technocrat to be an onerous and vile creature. For the technocrat as politician attempts to foist his often flawed understanding of science on the rest of us. Those who would “restore science to it’s rightful place” and then employ junk science and magical thinking to funnel ill-gotten funds into foolish ventures and their friends pockets are at the top of our list of the most despised.
Government Motors and the Volt epitomize the end result of the technocratic dream – an outrageously expensive reprise of 1910 technology, created with stolen funds, nearly useless for most applications, propped up by quashed safety test failures, bought by less than .002% of the population, subsidized again at sales time with more stolen money, and so on. To top this all off we are verbally assaulted by a bunch of educated but completely non-technical people who make ridiculous arguments again based upon magical thinking designed only to stroke their own egos.
Occasionally we get a chance to play with someone who presumably has no dog in the fight but is willing to defend technocrasy and nanny-stateism. On those occasions along with undeniable facts we like to throw in a little tweak, just for fun. You have been a lot of fun, Gene but you aren’t selling the Volt any better than anyone else at Government Motors. The Canada I once knew was a rough-and-tumble bunch of conservative pioneers. Now it’s just a bunch of people who are, for the most part, happy to stand in line waiting for their health care while not conversing for fear of breaking the speech codes and ending up incarcerated.
The way I see it, as long as we rail against crap like the Volt with all that it represents, there is something left of the population of self-reliant and freedom loving peoples, here and around the world, who may, someday, restore us to what we once were – non-sheep.
Sincerely,
Sal
Gene says:
December 10, 2011 at 10:39 pm
Few have asked for the car to be taken back. Certainly not half! – Gene
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It was enough to cause GM to modify their intial very liberal return policy to a stricter one.
And remember, the Volt was a reaction to the market¡¯s demand for GM to have a greener fleet and an answer to the Prius. – Gene
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That’s not market demand. That’s government coersion. I’m sorry, but if the market was driving EV demand the government wouldn’t have to GIVE +$10 billion dollars to mfr’s including Nissan & Ford for the development of ‘advanced vehicles’ and pay people $7.5K to take the darn things. GM et al make money by selling trucks & SUV’s, and conventional cars but that’s an aspect of the market place that your ilk won’t tolerate.
…look at the larger outlays in credits going to big oil or to ethanol ¡ª billions ¡ª rather than the millions going to the EV credits. – Gene
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Your credibility was nose diving even before you went and brought up the canard about the govt subsidizing ‘big oil’.
It¡¯s sad to watch people clutch at fabrications re: the Volt in what can only be the result of some type of pathological cognitive dissonance pertaining to GM having developed the most advanced electric car in the world. – Gene
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The Volt may be the best EV. It’s still just an EV. It’s still being forced on the public by this administration through various mean to which many people object.
As documented in the 1930s, one of the main purposes of government is to act as a brake on greed so as not to relive what happened in the 30s. – Gene
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Gene my friend, I don’t know about Canada, but I’ve never heard about the US govt being responsible for controlling “greed”. Of the parties responsible for the current global economic crisis Governments of the USA and EU are at the front of list. One of if not the largest aspects of the economic crisis was the US housing bubble. This was pretty much created by the Federal Govt. Something about the concept of a “universal right” to housing was the seed for this.
While I will admit I didn’t read every exchange, I believe I saw enough to reach the conclusion that Gene is kicking a lot of ass. Rather impressively.
BTW – thanks for the info on the Volt Gene. Very informative.