Lutz does care about the Volt. Stop saying he doesn't
According to Dictionary.com, ambivalence means "uncertainty or fluctuation, especially when caused by inability to make a choice or by a simultaneous desire to say or do two opposite or conflicting things." Why does this matter right now? Because ambivilanece is the word used by The Washington Post to describe GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz's feelings on the upcoming Chevy Volt. The Post writer seems to suggest that Lutz and the rest of GM's top brass are conflicted by the desire to build muscular gas-guzzlers while also pandering to the whims of environmentalists and our federal government.
Not so, replies Lutz, who took the time to write a response to the column on GM's Fastlane Blog. Calling the piece "incredibly inaccurate," Lutz goes on to offer his true opinion of the Volt and the future of the electric automobile. Lutz goes on to reiterate his previous assertions that the Volt project "is the most exciting program I have worked on in my entire career."
The whole thing is well worth a read, which is to be expected coming from Lutz, who's quotes we're sorely going to miss when he eventually retires for good. Nowhere else will you read such choice gems as this: "As I've said, just because the grocery store expands its offering of organically grown vegetables doesn't mean it shuts down the meat counter."
Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt
[Source: GM Fastlane]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
paulwesterberg 1:07PM (6/10/2009)
But GM does have a history of throwing the vegetables in the rubbish bin in order to increase their margin at the meat counter.
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Tim 3:22PM (6/10/2009)
I wonder if Government Motors will be as profitable and well run as Government Rail or Government Mail?
kert 2:56PM (6/10/2009)
From the blog:
The Volt can literally change the face of automotive transportation as we know it. Who would be ambivalent about that? This is a chance for GM to make history.
Um .. change the face of automotive transportation ? Back in 90ies, yes perhaps. But now they are beaten to market by other hybrids, full battery electrics and potentially series hybrids or E-REVs as well.
Tesla made history by being the first to market with BEV, Mitsubishi made history by being a first established automaker to market with a BEV, Toyota has made history with its generations of Priuses on the streets around the world.
There isnt much history to be made for GM.
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Nick P. 3:33PM (6/10/2009)
Agreed, but they can still set a record in sales by selling the most practical EV cars. This could also be achieved if they start using Voltec everywhere.
Toyota & Honda have shown they have no desire to go pure electric anytime soon, so GM still has a chance at worldwide dominance.
LMBVette 8:24AM (6/11/2009)
This will be the first mass produced affordable electric vehicle that won't leave people stranded when they go further than 200 + miles from their house.......I'd say that's making history.
kert 1:50PM (6/11/2009)
You are stretching the definitions of "first", "electric", "mass produced" and "affordable" quite a bit here.
Jsams4131 6:54AM (6/11/2009)
all thats important to "care" about with the volt and bob lutz (and any other car for that matter) is total # of sales
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Jim 10:00AM (6/11/2009)
I like his subtle dig at the Post: "One of America's *remaining* major newspapers..."
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TANKD0G 6:02PM (6/11/2009)
Lutz is irrelevant, he's over the hill and his company is bankrupt.
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