OrionWorks wrote:
Mr. Lutz appears to say in his blog that GM is going full steam
ahead in their work on environmental issues like E85, hybrids,
hydrogen and fuel cells, the electrification of the car (the
Chevrolet Volt), which hopefully will be out on showrooms in a
couple of years. ...all because it's the "...right thing to do."
If so, I wouldn't put much stock in his personal opinions, like
global warming being a crock of kaka.
The problem is, that is a contradictory set of opinions, and his
statements are unconvincing. If global warming is not real, then the
only reason anyone would work on things like fuel cells and electric
cars would be for the PR value. As far as I can tell that is in fact
the only reason GM is spending any money on these things: it is all a
public relations stunt, and they have no intention of manufacturing
anything. Ten years after Toyota introduced the Prius, GM does not
sell a single hybrid car as far as I know. They can't be serious.
They are NOT going full steam ahead! That's absurd.
The thing is, apart from global warming there is no perilous
environmental threat from cars. The amount of pollution they cause in
the first world is declining. Of course oil is running out, but this
will happen gradually. If oil did not cause global warming and
terrorism there would be no reason to transition away from it
abruptly. It would make sense to make the transition gradual, over 30
to 50 years. We might as well use it up as long as it remains
reasonably cheap. That is just what the oil companies and GM want us
to do. They would only want us to do that if they themselves did not
believe oil, coal and other fossil fuel is causing catastrophic and
irreversible climate change. Lutz says he does not believe that and
I take him at his word. That explains his decisions and actions.
Let me explain what I mean by "PR stunt." For many years, the U.S.
automobile industry has been spending a few hundred million dollars a
year to make ultraclean, advanced prototype "concept" cars for trade
shows. Plus they have spent hundreds of millions of dollars of
government money in joint-development projects that went nowhere. I
have often read that industry insiders consider these projects to be
PR stunts, and they have never seriously intended to manufacture
these vehicles. The purpose is to keep the Congress and the public
from criticizing industry, and to make themselves look good, without
actually spending the billions of dollars it would take to
manufacture one of these vehicles. My guess is that Lutz views
Toyota's decision to make the Prius as an expensive public relations
stunt that got out of hand. Even now many critics say that Toyota
must be losing money on every Prius sale (a violation of antitrust
laws), and Toyota is only selling the car to make themselves look
good and to steal American market share. Prominent right-wing critics
and industry shills such as George Will often say that Prius uses
more gasoline per mile and more steel and other resources than a
Hummer. (Will really says that in the New York Times, and I suppose
he means it, because he appears to be innumerate and he understands
nothing about batteries, manufacturing or technology.)
People like Lutz apparently assume that Toyota managers don't believe
in global warming either. They think the Prius must be some kind of
ploy or a way to game the system. Managers at GM such a Lutz do not
see the Prius as a better product or an honest way to attract
customers. They do not seem to understand why consumers like it.
That is my impression from their comments. That is why they are going
out of business. What other explanation is there? It isn't as if they
want to liquidate the company.
Here is one thing you must understand about people such as Lutz,
Will, and the anti-cold fusion fanatics such as Park: They really are
as stupid as they seem. It is not an act.
- Jed
