Lutz reaffirms Volt mules are doing well in testing
Man, it's been almost five minutes without GM's vice chairman Bob Lutz has given a positive Chevy Volt update. We just heard from him over the weekend about the possibility of a 20-mile-EV-range version someday, for example. Today, speaking in Dearborn, Lutz said that "there's almost no reasonable doubt in our minds anymore that this is going to work." This, of course, is getting the Volt out to the public. We knew this has been GM's message for a while now, but according to Reuters, Lutz said the testers of the Mali-Volts have "routinely had it to the high 30s, low 40s and they go up hills with it and everything." Well, if GM is able to go up hills with the Volt mules, then there's nothing to worry about, is there?
[Source: Reuters]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jason Darling 9:40PM (6/16/2008)
It's funny to see Lutz on the green band wagon, after years of 'SUVs are the future'. Up until recently, he has always been a big naysayer. Wish someone with passion about green power would replace him.
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Chris 6:27AM (6/17/2008)
Well when gas was $2 a gallon he was right. No one would have predicted this type of run up we are seeing short of having a war with Iran.
This whole run up reminds me of when speculators and Enron were futzing around with California's electricity market.
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Tim 9:14AM (6/17/2008)
The only things to worry about are the MSRP sales price, dealer gouging and will they make enough copies.
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Colin 9:45AM (6/17/2008)
I don't think Lutz ever thought "SUVs are the future" At the time, that's what the public wanted and that's what companies sold.
Keep in mind Lutz is considered the father of BMW's M division so it's not like he's some truck/SUV guy.
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s10 10:31AM (6/17/2008)
@colin Suv's is not what the public wanted per se.. it is what the car industry wanted as building bigger means higher profit.
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Holden Miecranc 11:05AM (6/17/2008)
Manufacturers build what consumers will buy. Consumers wanted more SUV's and that's what manufacturers produced. Consumers now want smaller cars and that's manufacturers are bringing to market. It has been over 25 years since the masses gave a fat rats behind about small cars in this country, so no, building small cars was not a great business plan for the last two and a half decades. If it was, Toyota and Hondas lineups would not have grown as much as they have.
Manufacturers do not force product on consumers, as there is too much competition in the marketplace for that.
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steven 1:55PM (6/17/2008)
@5: If the GMs and Fords of the world are such f-ing wizzes at marketing to lemmings, why in the hell can't they just use that same "magic" to convince us blind consumers that we want the cars they have now? People bought SUV's because that is what they wanted. The fact that some of manufacturers made billions and pissed it away is a different story. Lutz sees this as an opportunity to make money again. Too bad they're going to market it to poor chumps who are going to save some bucks on gas.
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Jon McClure 5:01PM (7/19/2008)
Why is it that the "Big Three" are and have been the followers and not the leaders? Why are MDI and Tata Motors and others in India, France and our down-under friends building air-compressed cars that fill up for $2 and now run with carbon-fiber tanks filled with air? Now the same companies have added experimental solar pannels and/or small motors that heat the air to extend the range to 1,000 miles...This is combined with an onborad air-compresser and maybe, someday if the oil companies or the government doesn't try to conspire to stop this, we will have them too! The plans are to build about 50 U.S. small plants to make these wonder cars and sell them for less than $20,000...Go to any site and punch in air-compressed car and watch the videos, etc., and wonder why our car companies are not plan ning to test the concept... End result, is cool air comes out, recycle the air for air-conditioning, set up air-compressing stations at filling stations, malls, etc. and charge say $2 for a fill-up, while people shop, etc. If the PSI of say 3,400 was a concern, now that carbon-fiber tanks have been added, they are safe and just unzip, like a women's dress! I know some of you will find fault with anything, but lets try to make something work until we finally move into say Hydrogen and/or fuel-cell cars in say a decade or so! I would like a Chevy Volt, but who knows if G.M. will get it all together, remember the EVI and "Who Killed The Electric Car..." I bet BMW, Nissan, Toyota and at least six other car companies beat the Volt to production...V.W. plans a bio-diesel next year that will get over 50 MPG...The people building Mercedes, Honda and Hyundai's in Alabama's three new car plants all have some very good high MPG models coming in 2009-2010...When will our friends in Michigan wise up? Funny what high gas prices did to the creative human mind...
Jon
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