Sierra Club's Daniel Becker says Detroit automakers looking for rope to hang themselves
Daniel Becker of the Sierra Club thinks domestic automakers are on suicide watch and Pres. Bush is holding the rope. His thoughts on yesterday's meeting between the Big 3 execs from Detroit and Pres. Bush are certainly less flattering than most news reports. Becker laughs at the fact that Rick Wagoner of GM and Alan Mulally of Ford drove to the White House in one of their company's hybrids, but none of the vehicles (Saturn Vue Green Line and Ford Escape Hybrid) get anywhere near the mileage of Toyota and Honda's best hybrids. He says technology will save American jobs, not political whining. "This is auto mechanics, not rocket science," says Becker.
[Source: Sierra Club via Common Dreams Newswire]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Howard Lee Harkness 9:59AM (11/15/2006)
[rant on]The current structure of healthcare costs is probably the largest problem facing domestic auto manufacturers. Heathcare costs currently add an estimated $1000 to the cost of production of every US-made vehicle. That is a logical result of the events in the early 20th century, when government encouraged businesses to provide paid health insurance by giving very generous tax breaks. That, in turn, drove up healthcare costs by encouraging the mentality that healthcare costs were being paid by "somebody else". Now that the healthcare situation is rapidly reaching its ridiculous extreme, domestic businesses want even more meddling by the government, which will only delay the day of reckoning. In the worst case, the US will end up with something similar to the situation in the UK, where healthcare is 'free', but you have to pay extra to actually get any.[rant off]
That said, the big 3 auto makers aren't producing anything that *I* want to buy, so my next vehicle is very likely to be a Toyota. And, I may lease it, since I sincerely hope that an affordable and economical EV/hybrid is only a few years off.
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A5-14 10:16AM (11/15/2006)
"This is auto mechanics, not rocket science." Perhaps the dumbest statement ever made by the Sierra club.
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Tim 11:18AM (11/15/2006)
GM’s forays into EV and PHEV are simply publicity stunts. They can, but they never will produce them at economy of scale so they can be competitive with I.C. cars without legislation. Why? A company’s only LEGAL obligation is to their majority stockholders. In this case, it’s the oil monopolies. http://www.ev1.org/gmoil.htm If you want the car monopolies to manufacture EVs or PHEVs, you have to legislate! Market forces can’t control monopolies, only the legislature can do that. BEWARE… The “Hydrogen Economy” is an inefficient diversion from the “Electric Economy.” We can make our own electricity (power) and that really scares them. Electric cars with bio-diesel (we can make that too) generators in series are far more efficient. However, market forces do apply when it comes time to sell them. Most potential buyers want efficiency (EV or PHEV) so that they can stop transferring so much money and power away... period! If it doesn't look, drive and cost like a gas car, they won't buy it. If it looks cool, helps the environment and stop funding terror, that's OK too.
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MikeW 11:19PM (11/15/2006)
Come on where are the 6 speed automatics in GM's new trucks/suvs?
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ksmith 8:04AM (11/16/2006)
For once Howard, I agree with you. Detroit isn't looking for a government handout, they're looking for a level playing field. As you correctly pointed out, healthcare is one of their biggest disadvantages. Healthcare isn't something that will only affect the auto industry; they're just the canary in the mineshaft. The auto industry might be the first to feel the heat, but they certainly won't be the last.
Also, currency manipulation practices by foreign governments (Japan notably) is tilting the playing field even more. Don't get me wrong, Detroit did more than anyone else to put themselves in their current situation, and their cars aren't always the most competitive, but they're not looking to Uncle Sam for a handout, they just want fair environment in which to build cars.
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doug delano 8:05AM (11/17/2006)
This is one of the very few times that I agree with the Sierra Club. Further, and in agreement,why doesn't DCX, the European manufacturer, have at the very least, a cheap hybrid drivetrain such as GM's latest "technology" on the Saturn. The so called "enviromentally concerned Europeans" are way out of step even with Ford and GM.
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Tim 10:09AM (11/18/2006)
GM is lying… Again! They already spent $Billions and completed the R&D years ago. It's a done deal. http://www.autoworld.com/news/GMC/Series_Hybrid.htm Skateboard tech will allow them to use the same frame and power train for almost everything they make. They would only have to re-tune the motor controller and change the sheet metal for each vehicle type. We’re talking millions of cars, light trucks & SUVs here. That’s economy of scale! With fewer parts to produce, inventory & distribute, these things should be far less expensive to make than what they are making now. The problem is they are too good!! GMs owners will never let them build them. http://www.ev1.org/gmoil.htm http://internalcombustionbook.com. The LOVE of money is the root…
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