For those of you who haven't heard, on Friday, General Motors announced that they were discontinuing the manufacture of it's Chevy Volt electric/gas car. Like someone we didn't always agree with who passed away, we'll be nice today...
No, the Volt was not the perfect car that GM intended it to be. Overpriced and not efficient enough to make it comparable to lesser priced, yet fuel efficient cars, it was doomed from production. Originally designed to be a badass looking hot rod, it ended up looking suspiciously like a 2005 Honda Accord, except it cost $40,000..
It was a nice try, but Americans - especially in these tough economic times - aren't willing to part with an extra $20k for a car that still has to be charged up every 40 miles. Economically speaking, hybrids still rule the eco-car barnyard, and likely will for a while. The true testament to the Volt experiment despite all the rebates and tax deductions Washington could muster to try and make it attractive, is that ultimately, the free market is what decided whether the Volt stayed or went. That's how it should be....
Will there be another attempt at an electric car? We're sure there will, and we welcome it. Prototypical cars are made and quashed in Detroit and around the world all the time. They learned a lesson, and if it fits the economical model, then go for it - it will sell. Americans have no problem with fuel efficient cars, they just aren't willing to bankrupt themselves on them...
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1 comment:
Mike--the funny thing is that even when DC put its thumb on the scales of the free market, the Volt fell. I can not help but wonder how the enviromentalists are going to react? If I were to bet, watch for the push to be on increase in the Federal gas tax to stilumulate R&D for a next generation Volt2...teg
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