The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: twyacht on March 03, 2012, 06:21:56 AM
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GM blames the,.........
MEDIA!!!!
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tom-blumer/2012/03/02/gm-suspends-production-volt-blames-media
GM Suspends Production of Volt, Blames Media
By Tom Blumer | March 02, 2012 | 19:58
Tom Blumer's picture
Well, I guess when you think you're going to sell 45,000 cars and you're on track to achieve about 25% of that, something's gotta give.
Something gave today, as Government/General Motors announced a temporary suspension of production of the company's centerpiece of environmental correctness, the Chevy Volt, and the layoff of 1,300 employees. Oh, and as readers will see in the Examiner.com excerpt, it's the (cough, cough) media's fault:
GM laying off 1300 due to low Volt sales
General Motors Co. announced the temporary suspension of Chevrolet Volt production and the layoffs of 1300 employees, as the company is cutting Volt manufacturing to meet lower-than-expected demand for the electric cars.
"Even with sales up in February over January, we are still seeking to align our production with demand," GM spokesman Chris Lee said. The car company had hoped to sell 45,000 Chevy Volts in America this year, according to the Detrot News, but has only sold about 1,626 over the first two months of 2012.
"GM blamed the lack of sales in January on “exaggerated” media reports and the federal government's investigation into Volt batteries catching fire, which officially began in November and ended Jan. 21," the Ann Arbor (Mich.) News (actually, it's at MLive.com -- Ed.) reported.
Surely GM is not referring to the New York Times, which has been overly sympathetic to electric toys -- I mean, cars -- for years. Nick Bunkley's coverage describes the production halt as a "pause."
The company also can't complain about how the Associated Press has covered the Volt story over the years. Today, the related AP story takes artificial solace in GM's move, claiming that "Although the Volt has not been a big seller, the low-emission vehicle has improved GM's reputation for innovation." It also found someone to moan about how "the perception of a safety risk has hurt sales." Fires will tend to do that.
The fact is that the Volt has been cut tons of slack through the years, up to and including its you've-got-to-be-joking designation as Car of the Year by two different auto industry publications.
Perhaps -- only perhaps, because this modern-day Edsel might have flopped even in a great economy -- the biggest irony is that if the GM-owning, "green" car-loving Obama administration had successfully turned the economy around with the right policy prescriptions instead of massive, misguided, counterproductive "stimulus," its pet car company might be having better luck finding 45,000 drivers per year with lots of money ($41,000) and a whole lot less sense to buy the things.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
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I'm "shocked" ......get it?
I'll be here all week..... ;D
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Actually GM blamed it on the media for reporting on the battery fire problem. (honest)
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just think with all the other Green companies going broke then add Volt obama's nightmare and I think their trying to ship volt to China. IT's Obama's fault now
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=avLKiWi71cE
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Well done testimony. I'm sharing this on FB.
I especially like the part sub-title/disclaimer. "Chevy Volt is not responsible for the contents of the Chevy Volt"
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Today at a campaign event...everytime he says something it's a campaign event, BHO said the Secret Service would not let him drive a Volt (too dangerous?) so he just sat in it. I wonder if the Furhrer ever drove another "people's car", the state sponsored Volkswagen way back when? I'm pretty sure I have seen pictures of him riding in one, but never driving. Couldn't resist in making the analogy!
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Today at a campaign event...everytime he says something it's a campaign event, BHO said the Secret Service would not let him drive a Volt (too dangerous?) so he just sat in it. I wonder if the Furhrer ever drove another "people's car", the state sponsored Volkswagen way back when? I'm pretty sure I have seen pictures of him riding in one, but never driving. Couldn't resist in making the analogy!
I don't think Hitler drove anything but a motorcycle during WWI.
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obama and his energy idiot are still pimping the volt today and the Energy Sec says he doesn't have a car and offering 10,000 tax incentive but still costing the taxpayers billions. :'( :-X
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I have driven a Volt several miles, and it is a nice car. It has a lot of power, and handles great. However, out here in the rural world it isn't practical for the limited range. Also, the jury is still out on our cold winters and its affect on battery power (how many miles per charge will be lost in the cold).
As to the media - Once you get past the price the bad media could be part of it. In the 1980's the Ford Pinto was ruined by the press on gas tank explosions, but the Chevrolet Chevette did not get hit - Chevettes did the exact thing in similar accidents. Both companies did recalls, Chevette went on for more good years, and the Pinto went bye bye. Same happened with Chevy pick ups with side fuel tanks vs. Ford with its tank between the frame rails in the rear. Media missed what happened to Ford pick ups when they got rear ended or if they were t-boned in their optional dual tank location ... Just like Chevy. The media selectively reports and then walks away smugly after they launch or sink someone or something.
Electric vehicles being "green" - Having spent several years on the board of a municipal electric utility I always questioned what makes green good and actually fought it. Green is extremely expensive to produce, but rather than let the savings offset the cost on their own we tax and subsidize the daylights out of things to manipulate the market. Second, what is the environmental impact of all the technology to make green good - I cite the amount of mercury in every cfl bulb in light sockets in homes vs. mercury at power plants. Third, an electric vehicle may have zero tailpipe emissions, but we still have emissions somewhere. All an electric car does is move its emissions from the tailpipe to the power plant stack, but the greenies deny that and claim there is no pollution from the car.
Forced technology never works, and adding tax driven subsidies to it only makes it worse. The Volt went down for several reasons, and yes, the unbalanced media hype was part of it.
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The Chevy Volt had major drawbacks regardless of how the media covered it.
The now defunct Confederate Yankee did a lot of coverage on the viability of the Volt and found it seriously lacking.
Here are links to two of the posts about the volt. The second one contains links to some of the previous posts, should these two leave you undecided.
Here is an excerpt from the second link.
I compared, among other things, the difference in cost between a Volt and a well-equipped 40 MPG Ford Fiesta and found that if the Volt managed a real world MPG average of 120 (electric and gasoline), it would take a minimum of 14 years to make up the difference in initial cost between the vehicles in fuel savings. Actually, it would be more like 19 years, which of course means that for probably 99% of the public, buying a Volt would save nothing at all over a conventional, far more useful vehicle. It would almost certainly leave most owners deeply in the hole overall.
http://confederateyankee.mu.nu/archives/318906.php
http://confederateyankee.mu.nu/archives/318631.php
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Like I said, I have driven a Volt. I estimate I have just over 100 miles in one.
It isn't a designed car, it is a converted existing model. The body was not altered in anyway, except it has less ground clearance due to the batteries and their weight - gotta watch some of the driveway approaches.
Considering the actual purchase price that a consumer pays for the vehicle it is viable if you live in an area where it matches your commute. Our problem out here in fly over land is that we have commutes that are too long, and you rely on the gasoline engine for too many miles a day. The down side to making it cost effective is that it relies on tax credits - money from everyone else, to subsidize the cost.
I have driven it in weather near zero, and it was only for 20 miles, so I didn't notice the lack of a high output heater. I don't think that would be an issue in daily commutes if you lived in a metro area. At the dealership the jury is still out on how sub-zero temps would affect drivability, but I will tell you that 0-60 is snappy, passing is snappy, and 0-100 is less than 3/4 mile. This car flies!
We did some math in the office, and payback off the final price is not really too bad. If the batteries last as projected it is no more expensive to use than the Cruize (its body and running gear donor).
I wish that they would have spent a couple hundred of the high price and incorporated solar panels in the flat surfaces.
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I bought a new Focus last year for a bit under 15K and it's averaging 36 MPG for the moment. Assuming I'm going to put 10K on a year, my total cost for the car over four years will about 20K at worst. Why would I even consider the Volt for other than the "feel good theory"?
I've been driving fuel efficient cars for nearly my entire life as a matter of practicality! I also have never driven less than thirty miles each way to work in the last 15 years.
I don't need what the .gov or GM is selling!
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There was a study by a German University with in the last 6 months, (there's a post about here somewhere)
stating that people who buy cars like the Volt or Prius are more likely to lie, cheat, and steal than people who don't let "global warming" BS influence their decision.
The study claimed that these people felt superior because of their "green" purchase, therefore they did not need to live up to the other ethical standards of an uncaring society.
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There was a study by a German University with in the last 6 months, (there's a post about here somewhere)
stating that people who buy cars like the Volt or Prius are more likely to lie, cheat, and steal than people who don't let "global warming" BS influence their decision.
The study claimed that these people felt superior because of their "green" purchase, therefore they did not need to live up to the other ethical standards of an uncaring society.
So, that explains the asshat that tried to sue Toyota over his Prius speeding out of control when his "black box" proved it was because he deliberately pressed the accelerator to the floor!
"Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!"
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There is also the unknown length of life of the Volt battery. A standard car battery is good for 2 years or so...but I don't know how closely the Volt battery will come to that....might be less with the demands upon it.
One estimated replacement cost is $8000. Add one of those to every 4 years of vehicle life and that is gonna hurt your break even time.
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There is also the unknown length of life of the Volt battery. A standard car battery is good for 2 years or so...but I don't know how closely the Volt battery will come to that....might be less with the demands upon it.
??? ??? ???
I've just replaced the battery in my Ranger after nine years. My last two cars went eight years on the original battery as well. In fact, I traded them in with the OEM Motorcraft batteries in them and I've lived in the cold northeast for going on thirty years.
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??? ??? ???
I've just replaced the battery in my Ranger after nine years. My last two cars went eight years on the original battery as well. In fact, I traded them in with the OEM Motorcraft batteries in them and I've lived in the cold northeast for going on thirty years.
Wow....you must have saved the life of the Battery Spirit at some time to have karma that good.... A lot of good TLC for them?
I don't know if cold weather is particularly hard on batteries except that they have a harder job cranking a cold engine. Higher temps are a killer of batteries....
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Wow....you must have saved the life of the Battery Spirit at some time to have karma that good.... A lot of good TLC for them?
I don't know if cold weather is particularly hard on batteries except that they have a harder job cranking a cold engine. Higher temps are a killer of batteries....
To be completely honest, I haven't popped open a battery since High School! There isn't any need to anymore!
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To be completely honest, I haven't popped open a battery since High School! There isn't any need to anymore!
Still driving a 2000 Z28 and have put two batteries in it after OEM. That big 350 would never be considered cool running and I sure did as much as possible to keep the temps up. Since I've gotten to old to be driving much beyond the legal limit and don't drive enough to worry much about the price of gas, I'm guessing battery life is suffering even more just from not keeping a charge up.
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Still driving a 2000 Z28 and have put two batteries in it after OEM. That big 350 would never be considered cool running and I sure did as much as possible to keep the temps up. Since I've gotten to old to be driving much beyond the legal limit and don't drive enough to worry much about the price of gas, I'm guessing battery life is suffering even more just from not keeping a charge up.
Well, there's your problem! Stop buying Chevys! ;D
My one and only Camaro lasted three years and I put three batteries in that POS! ::)
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I once had a car that had a bolt head sticking up through the battery box, I had to replace the battery when it wore through the bottom.
I put a rubber mat in the bottom of the battery box to shield it and have never had to replace a battery for any other reason.
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The battery in my Chevy truck lasted 11 years but I don't drive much. I would expect the battery in the Volt to last half as long. Maybe it would have to be replaced once and the car would be traded before it was due for a second battery. They still cost too much.
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Battery life for decades, 60's into 90's, was considered three years. That is how the life time warranty was started by Sears with the Die Hard - Average owner keeps a car for three years, person buys a three year old used car, they drive it for six months and replace the battery, two and a half years later they trade it off, a year later the batter goes bad, and the life time warranty is not transferable. Sears replaced very few batteries for warranty, and others learned how to market the idea.
Current technology is considered five years, and I don't know what gell cells are
I don't know, and the dealer does not know what the life of the Volt's batteries are. I know that with the Prius most owners expect to trade between three and five years. I also know some that have had the typical early failure at a year or so. I have not heard any firm costs, because everyone I heard of that had them replaced had it done under warranty.
When we figured cost of owning and using the Volt we figured owning for five years at 20,000 miles a year. The miles is based on max range between recharge without relying on gasoline engine. This would be your main local vehicle for commutes, errands, and close to home recreation. You would only use your other vehicle for long trips and heavy hauling. He figured a very low trade in value, and it wasn't too bad. The catch is that there is any market for a used electric vehicle with 100k, and that you don't need to pay for batteries. I don't recall what the warranty on the batteries is.