Bob Lutz Video: Volt, the most fuel-efficient car in the world?
In the video above, GM's Bob Lutz says "we made a mistake" on hybrids because GM did not think it would be "important." Well, not exactly a mistake the way Bob puts it because there were "legitimate reasons." Bob says U.S. corporate structure with their "fiduciary duty" would mean going to the board to green light a "multi-hundred million dollar program that was going to lose money" and that would be difficult, of course. While at Toyota, where the "name is on the building," the "quasi-owners" can say "I want to build a hybrid and I don't care if it costs me a couple of hundred million dollars."
Don't worry about GM losing the mantle of "technology leader of the world" because of that "one" car from Toyota. Why? Bob says the Volt could be "perhaps the world's most fuel efficient vehicle that has the highest range on batteries only." Just the world Bob? Does anyone in the car industry under promise?
Related:
[Source: Reuters]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ray daigle 4:47PM (2/27/2008)
it very sad to hear this from gm. we as a nation is loosing the market in our promotion of smart cars we should have a car the used no petro at all
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Mark 5:42PM (12/28/2007)
when exactly was GM "technology leader of the world"??? american cars have always been technological crap. big? yes. much hp? of course! but that's not difficult to build.
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GreatGreenHammer 6:09PM (12/28/2007)
("american cars have always been technological crap")
I dare you to say that to Bob's face.
Bob could start at middle-line-backer for da Bears.
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ug 6:13PM (12/28/2007)
I love how Lutz gets cut off at some totally arbitrary point. Can't stand how media today has such a tiny attention span.
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Throwback 6:34PM (12/28/2007)
Here is a short list of technologies developed by American auto companies that come immediately to mind. First electric start, a very big deal, first automatic transmission, first power seats in a production car. First generally available electric car EV-1. I'm sure if you google some innovations you will find more. In terms of recent tech, dual-mode hybrids, first used in buses. First fuel cell vehicle.
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GreatGreenHammer 8:02PM (12/28/2007)
Throwback,
easy now.. we don't want to interupt some people's pouty, anti-US meta-narrative with facts do we?
Cheers.
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russellgeister 9:36PM (12/28/2007)
hmm power seats for fat lazy yanks auto trans for fat uncoordinated yanks GM killed the EV1 they manipulate the political process so more economical vehicles made outside America never see the light of day lets put it this way you auto industry has always done its utmost to maximize it profits and screw its customers royally.you lot are pussy's your willing to accept an ass f**king because it would seem anti American to stand up and say stop giving us the shaft Bob Lutz is a BS artist of the 1ST order.
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GreatGreenHammer 12:43AM (12/29/2007)
russelgeister.
"Yanks" make cars for profit? (gasp!)
--And the Brits/Germans make cars for what exactly? For the sport of it? To impress their lady friends?
Thanks for stopping by. Maybe later we can get a pint and punch somebdy wearing a Manchester United Jersey in the grill cuz we just don't like his YANK FACE!
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nota 10:08AM (12/29/2007)
Throwback
"First generally available electric car EV-1."
Electric cars were generally available 100 years ago, they used to outsell petrol cars
The list of American automotive innovations pales in comparison to those from Europe and the UK
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gsolman6 10:36AM (12/29/2007)
"Here is a short list of technologies developed by American auto companies that come immediately to mind. First electric start, a very big deal, first automatic transmission, first power seats in a production car."
The first one I'll definitely give you but really it wasn't until the DSGs (Direktschaltgetriebe) of BorgWarner that automatics outperformed conventional manuals. As far as power seats they can take a hike - should I be so lazy as to think of them as necessary equipment?
I think Lutz is a bit obsessed with Toyota and looking at his company's recent history in a way that justifies there not taking routes that other companies have successfully taken.
"--And the Brits/Germans make cars for what exactly? For the sport of it? To impress their lady friends?"
BMW does not take pride in being the biggest German manufacturer b/c that is not a goal of theirs. They would rather be the most profitable manufacturer in the world, which at least until maybe recently with Porsche, they were.
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GreyFlcn 11:20AM (12/29/2007)
You know, the Volt would be pretty nice if it were out right now.
But they don't plan to release it till 2011, and not in any volume till 2012.
http://greyfalcon.net/volt
Their Half a Decade late to the party it would seem.
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Dav 5:41PM (1/01/2008)
Automakers are making the same mistake other
computer giants have made - IBM PS/2 vs Windows,
IBM mainframe vs Unix, and Sun Sparc vs 386/Solaris.
Both had the opportunity to transition themselves
into the better product line - cheaper operating
system and open architecture.
But none of them did - by dabbling here and there,
saying one thing in the public but doing another
in private.
The inevitable happens, now PC/Windows dominates desktop,
Various versions of Unix dominates computer server market.
Fuel economy innovation in auto industry
won't come from current auto giants, rather
from China and American innovators such
as apetera.com, which will sell 300mpg EV in 2008.
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amsnare 4:14PM (12/29/2007)
It is true that the Germans and Japanese are more innovative, and have been for a very long time...
Why ? They must be for their own survival..
But now we must, for the same reason..
Has the first step been taken ?
A firm such as VW is way ahead of GM and Ford where is comes to building an efficient vehicle (Diesel)...Our government could help here, as the European governments have..Our environmentalists have gotten out of hand; in Europe, they seem to be better controlled..
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JW 4:45PM (12/29/2007)
Mark,
GM also introduced Heads-Up Display and OnStar, and was the first to put 4-wheel steering on a vehicle that could actually benefit from it. GM also introduced (an unreliable, but innovative nonetheless) cylinder deactivation back in the 80s. GM also developed the first crash-test-dummy ans developed many of the standards for safety belts, airbags and Headlamps now used in MVSS (besides all the aforementioned technologies like Automatic Transmission, etc.). What has Toyota innovated? Synergy drive? All that is is putting 2 drivetrains on a single vehicle. Anything else? GM was for most of the 20th century, known as the technological leader in the Auto Industry.
Oh yeah, and what do the Brits make cars for? Profits? Uh, the Brits don't make cars anymore. It wasn't profitable.
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russellgeister 6:34AM (12/30/2007)
i accept they have made a number of developments in the past(big us car makers) but for some reason they are stuck in the past and are going nowhere fast even there profits are suffering because of it. is there any large v8 sedan made buy gm or ford that can make a 800 mile trip on a single tank of fuel =40mpg? Audi does.
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A D 9:54AM (12/30/2007)
What a bunch of bullshit.
The sole major issue with the car industry is the same for every industry.
It is "capital" as in currency.
And even the simple minded Japanese suck ups no longer will try to say that Japan does not manipulate currency. To put in in words they can understand, "THEY LIE ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE YEN".
Yes LIE!!!!
And every industry needs capital to survive.
No there has not and is not any vast amount of Japanese technologic breakthroughs in vehicle. They just have enough cash they have skimmed and shystered from outside markets to develope mostly stolen concepts to apply to product. Yes the bastards and being indirectly subsidised by ever single American regardless of what they buy.
Get your heads out of your butts.
Saying Japanese industry is good for competition (which they have proven to have no interest in) is like saying getting cancer is a great way to lose weight.
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mike 12:18PM (12/30/2007)
I agree with ug, these guy's need to do a long interview for the internet, where the Real Thinking occurs, and then use tweezers to cut a sound byte for the TV market.
But, Bob, can't you bring back the EV1 as the EV2 before 2011?
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nota 9:01AM (1/01/2008)
re post #9 "it wasn't until the DSGs (Direktschaltgetriebe) of BorgWarner that automatics outperformed conventional manuals."
The 1930s-on Wilson Preselector outperformed conventional manuals, both at Le Mans and in Grand Prix. So too did 1962 Torqueflite-equipped Dodges and Plymouth 'Super Stocks'
re post #13 "GM .. was the first to put 4-wheel steering on a vehicle that could actually benefit from it."
In 1907 Felix and Norman Caldwell of South Australia applied for a patent for four wheel drive with four wheel steering; they went on to build Caldwell Vale 4x4 trucks with Henry Vale from 1910. They also had a patent for power steering in 1912
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oby 12:03PM (1/01/2008)
Lutz is an idiot and Wagoner is worse for keeping him on the payroll. How anyone can claim that the Volt is/will be the world's most efficient car is a mystery. But then maybe he is one of those Americans who believes the entire world is within the 50 States. The Volt is vaporware that's all. it's likely to stay that way or it will be obsolete by the time it is ready for sale. I doubt GM will last that long anyway.
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oby 12:15PM (1/01/2008)
Lutz just go away!
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