Big Three Go After Diesel Market - Page 6 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

aklim · #76 01-04-2008, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rudolfgreen

The big 2.5 are a scary corrupt bunch, and it seems that it will be a while before they give up milking us along with their bastard petroleum counterparts. Remember the EV-1? WAY ahead of its time, and all crushed to cover up the possibilities of freedom from oil. $.02

Here is where I would wonder why they would cover it up. What would they really care tho? What could big oil pay them for their efforts? IF they could make a car that gets 20 mpg when the current crop is getting 10, you could say that big oil would pay them off. OK. fine. However, they are in trouble as it stands. If they could get a 20 mpg car going well while others are at 10, would big oil be able to pay them enough to cover for the losses of not releasing it?

IMO, it is poor decision making that is costing them money.

#77 01-04-2008, 09:37 AM

Yes, many of the people that leased an EV1 tried extremely hard to buy their car from GM.

GM killed the EV1 project while they puked out the illusion that there was no interest in electric vehicles.

aklim · #78 01-04-2008, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

There current electric concept car is the "volt":

http://www.chevrolet.com/electriccar/?seo=goo_electric_car

I meant that at that time, was it enough of a money maker that they should be producing it? Was the technology and cost able to make it feasible?

#79 01-04-2008, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

Yes, many of the people that leased an EV1 tried extremely hard to buy their car from GM.

GM killed the EV1 project while they puked out the illusion that there was no interest in electric vehicles.

They are currently pushing "alternative fuels" pretty hard, PR-wise at least.

aklim · #80 01-04-2008, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

Yes, many of the people that leased an EV1 tried extremely hard to buy their car from GM.

GM killed the EV1 project while they puked out the illusion that there was no interest in electric vehicles.

Yes, but what about the rest of USA? Would they be able to mass produce these things and provide service and support of them WHILE making a profit? Those who had it loved it. However, what about those that didn't have it. Would they have bought it too? Would enough of them have bought it that could justify running up a production line for it and make a profit? Their projections didn't think so. However that is way different from them being in bed with the big 3 to keep mileage down.

#81 01-04-2008, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

I meant that at that time, was it enough of a money maker that they should be producing it? Was the technology and cost able to make it feasible?

There is absolutely no reason AT ALL that electric vehicles and parallel hybrids can't be mass-produced successfully and sold to the masses right now. The technology to make them work has been around for nearly a decade.

Chevy waiting to produce the Volt in 2010 is BS. They should have released it 5 years ago.

aklim · #82 01-04-2008, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

They are currently pushing "alternative fuels" pretty hard, PR-wise at least.

Of course they are. That is the new buzzword so they will do that. Biodiesel places have tons of stickers for sale that say "No blood for oil". Bottom line it is all a ploy to separate you from your money. It's business.

#83 01-04-2008, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

Of course they are. That is the new buzzword so they will do that. Biodiesel places have tons of stickers for sale that say "No blood for oil". Bottom line it is all a ploy to separate you from your money. It's business.

Probably. Actually, I don't much care what GM does. I bought my last domestic vehicle a long time ago, never again. I'll just be driving my '82 and watching all this with detached mild amusement.

aklim · #84 01-04-2008, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

There is absolutely no reason AT ALL that electric vehicles and parallel hybrids can't be mass-produced successfully and sold to the masses right now. The technology to make them work has been around for nearly a decade.

Chevy waiting to produce the Volt in 2010 is BS. They should have released it 5 years ago.

Right now, yes. Back then? I don't know.

It takes GM 5 years at least from the time it comes up as a concept to get to the production line. The number of channels it has to go thru is staggering. So a GM engineer told me. This means that they are 5 years behind times. What they sell today is what we needed 5 or more years ago. Is it what we need today? Maybe, maybe not. In any case, that is a procedure problem and not so much a conspiracy. I don't think they are at the level they can conspire yet, do you?

aklim · #85 01-04-2008, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

Probably. Actually, I don't much care what GM does. I bought my last domestic vehicle a long time ago, never again. I'll just be driving my '82 and watching all this with detached mild amusement.

Everything goes in cycles if it can continue. You were top dog once. It is not a forever thing. MB isn't that good anymores. Sooner or later, whomever is the top dog will get displaced. It is a fact of life.

#86 01-04-2008, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

I don't think they are at the level they can conspire yet, do you?

GM is a multi-billion dollar company, the conspiracies probably go alot deeper than you think.

#87 01-04-2008, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

In any case, that is a procedure problem and not so much a conspiracy. I don't think they are at the level they can conspire yet, do you?

LOL, I love conspiracy theories. Anyone who has ever worked for a big company (or the government) understands that they are barely capable of handling their day-to-day operations without 10 major screw-ups per day, the concept of them pulling off a conspiracy for more than a half hour is pretty amusing.

Mistel · #88 01-04-2008, 09:57 AM

OK, you heard it here first.

The Chevy "Volt" will not make it to market.

About electric cars...(I realize the volt is a hybrid)

An electric car is like those old pedal sewing machines that your grandmother used for seventy years. They are simple, require little maintenance, and will last forever. Why would the big 2.5 produce a car that you can hand down to your grandkids? That sure would kill sales?

My understanding of the relationship between the big 2.5 and big oil is that they own shares in each other, big oil owns big 2.5 stock, and big 2.5 owns big oil stock, so they have an incentive to produce products that each other use a lot of.

aklim · #89 01-04-2008, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

GM is a multi-billion dollar company, the conspiracies probably go alot deeper than you think.

IMO, for them to be able to conspire successfully, they are going to have to get a lot more efficient. I'd worry more about you conspiring against me than GM since they can barely keep their head above water. Toyota is projecting to surpass them in new car sales. Their response has been what? Silence?

aklim · #90 01-04-2008, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mistel

They are simple, require little maintenance, and will last forever.

Why would the big 2.5 produce a car that you can hand down to your grandkids? That sure would kill sales?

My understanding of the relationship between the big 2.5 and big oil is that they own shares in each other, big oil owns big 2.5 stock, and big 2.5 owns big oil stock, so they have an incentive to produce products that each other use a lot of.

Sure it will. And Santa Clause lives in the North Pole. What car do you know that is simple, requires little maintenance and will last forever that they have produced in the last 10 years?

Never happen. Look at the average time the new car owner OWNS his car. What? 3 - 5 years? Why do you think I buy used cars? Because I don't want to take the "virgin" hit and the cars are not that old. 15 yo car? Not unless it is a beater. People still want the latest and greatest the company has to offer. Why do you think most smokers own a Bic instead of a Zippo?

That might be true. However, what they earn from the stocks is going to be less than what they can earn from selling a fuel efficient vehicle.