ABG Poll for fun: are you a "cashed up greenie"?
During one of the AFVI conference panels I went to, a woman from Australia asked the panel members (whose companies made a lot of the electric cars we report on) why their cars were so ugly. I'm just speaking frankly, she said, and continued that the only people who the cars would appeal to are "cashed up greenies." I like that phrase.
The electric car execs told her that their customers prefer the, ahem, standout looks of cars like the GEM. GEM's been in business for a while, so I suppose they should know. But what about that name? Does it mean anything to you? Do you think it applies to you? Do you think it describes most AutoblogGreen readers? Only one way to find out, I suppose.
So, are you?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
James 11:43AM (4/06/2007)
I don't care how long they've been in business, they're wrong. I am an environmentalist AND a car enthusiast, and I'm not alone. Make cars that look normal, but get good mileage, how can you go wrong with that? What did Honda sell more of, the Civic Hybrid, or the Insight? Oh wait, they don't make the hiddeously ugly Insight anymore do they?
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Simon 12:13PM (4/06/2007)
Very well said. Who the hell designed Prius? It's like Toyota cars are not ugly enough already.
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Tim 12:56PM (4/06/2007)
James- Shout it from the mountaintops!! We need NORMAL looking and acting electric cars and laws that allow them to go anywhere a NORMAL car can. Until then, EVs will just be for "cashed-up greenies" (nice name) and hypocritical ultra-wealthy eco-fascists like Al "chicken little" Gore and most of Hollywood elitists with a political axe to grind.
“Green” is for responsible and CONSERVATIVE health and security, NOT for political or financial gain. Someone please tell this to the Democratic-Socialists and Neocons http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8556319799473938067&q=neoconned in Congress.
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frank78 6:35PM (4/06/2007)
Tim,
I completely agree on your political commentary. I'm a total economic conservative, but am a very 'green' thinking person. It's all about being smart and non-wasteful. Unfortunately, alot of the 'green' movement has been hijacked by the socialists who think govt is the answer to all of our problems. They are ignorant to the fact that the free market is more effective 99% of the time.
It would be nice to see some attractive electric cars like the Tesla Roadster from other companies. Zap makes the fugliest. The article suggests what I've suspected all along- that alot of the early adopters of the 'green' tech cars want to show off so that everyone who sees them driving knows they are driving a 'green' car immediately. There are alot of 'limousine liberals' reading this blog.
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Der Alte 3:50AM (4/07/2007)
I say bring on the cashed up greenies. They provide the dollars to allow companies to do products the rest of us green schmoes might actually buy. That appears to be the way Tesla is going. If people want to fork out cash to prop up their green image...let them!
With no Prius...there would be no Camry Hybrid, or soon to be Corolla Hybrid.
With no Tesla Roadster...there's no chance of there ever being a Tesla sedan.
Its the same idea as putting the latest cutting edge safety gear on your most profitable luxury cars. The experience gained and profits made goes a long ways to bringing those same features to the masses a few years later. Yeah, snob money brought it there...but who really cares?
One of the greatest tenets of the free market is that a fool and his money are easily parted. It makes the market go around and benefits the common guy in the end. I don't see what there is to object.
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James 9:45AM (4/07/2007)
I think it's precisely because these guys have been in the market for so long that they don't understand it. The unusual looks of EV's was based on an old market, where your only customers were eco-nut-balls (for lack of a better phrase).
What they don't understand is that the old eco market was not mainstream, but the new eco market is. The merging of car nuts and eco nuts never happened in the past, but now it's a reality, and it represents a fundamental shift in the marketplace. These guys need to shift quickly, or the free market is going to give them a nasty wakeup call. (which frank78 alluded to)
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Sebastian Blanco 10:19PM (4/08/2007)
@james,
you don't think "cashed up greenies" is a better phrase?
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Chet 1:58PM (4/09/2007)
I think what they mean by "cashed-up greenies" are the ones who'll actually pay what it costs to produce an electric car.
Most of the greenies I've met, like most of the car nuts I've met, have absurdly unrealistic expectations. There are as many calls for a $15,000 250-mile-range electric Civic as there are for a $20,000 400hp Camaro.
Green ain't mainstream. The only thing that's mainstream is the desire for a free lunch. We'll all go green just as soon as the sacrifices are negligible.
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TG 3:27AM (12/11/2007)
One sees the odd **Smart car** around here on middle Vancouver Island BC.
I guess they named it that because it*s sooo ugly it smarts, or it smarts if you happen to hit a sparrow, or it smarts when falling on it*s side while making a turn. . . . eh? = TG
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