Tuesday, August 26, 2008

$30 billion losses + GM = A company ahead of the curve

"Our natural resources are limited, so we have to stay ahead of the technological curve." Chevy Designer Bob Boniface

Now that is a bold statement coming from a company who just lost $15.5 Billion in the last year. Earnest Meyer of MSN Money reports

"The news from Detroit just gets grimmer. With gas prices soaring, sales of fuel-guzzling SUVs and trucks are plummeting. The Big Three that once ruled the industry -- General Motors, Ford and Chrysler -- are cutting costs, shuttering plants and laying off workers. GM's share price is hovering near its lowest point in half a century; the company announced a whopping $15.5 billion loss in the second quarter of 2008."


I just don't have an idea how, this is Chevy staying ahead of the technological curve. Gas is already past $3.50. Staying ahead of the curve shoulda/woulda been around the $2.50 mark. That would of required Detroit to try to do something productive for their market, than the big oil companies and the middle east.
2010? How long have hybrid cars been around? The Toyota Prius was on sell in 2000, Honda Insight 1999, Honda Civic Hybrid 2002, Ford Escape/Honda Accord 2005. Ok. These are not electric vehicles, so Chevy is still ahead of the curve, right? Wrong!
Electric Cars have been around for years, or at least the concept and technology. Even Thomas Edison had an electric vehicle according to the Smithsonian Institute records. A site American History has a picture of him next to his vehicle.

In 2003 the Tesla Motor Company was Incorporated in the heart of Silicon Valley, California. The goal of the company was to create an efficient, good looking electric vehicle. They don't have nearly the market share of any of the big 3, and alto less funding. yet with $105 million dollars, they have created a great car with huge demand. Which was one of the answers often given by the big 3 in the 90's, is that there just is not a demand for electric vehicles. They were wrong, there is just not a demand for shitty looking electric vehicles. If the Big three invested less than 4% of their 2nd quarter losses they could have easily built this vehicle, and kept thousands of jobs.
Video of the Tesla Sportster:

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