Audi pres walks back "Volt for idiots" comment some more, still loves diesels
Audi North America President Johan de Nysschen has spent a lot of time thinking about his choice of words when he claimed only idiots would buy the Chevy Volt. He began to step away from his remarks pretty much as soon as he made them, but it never hurts to spend even more time clarifying that what you said wasn't what you really meant. To do just that, de Nysschen spoke with one of the Volt's biggest fans, Lyle Dennis, over at GM-Volt and gave a much more in-depth discussion about what is idiotic about the Volt and what isn't. de Nysschen still believes that the business case for the Volt – or any EV, for that matter – just doesn't make sense. Maybe in 20 years, he said, but not now, explaining that internal Audi studies show that current batteries will only allow "a tolerable amount of range" in heavy city traffic. Of course, Audi will likely show off an EV next week in Frankfurt.
One of his original criticisms of moving to plug-in cars was that CO2 emissions won't be reduced. While de Nysschen still believes that alternatives like clean diesel, better ICEs and biofuels are the right way to move forwrad, Dennis got him to admit that he hadn't seen the 2007 EPRI-NRDC study showing that CO2 emissions overall would decrease if cars were plugged in instead of gas-powered. Of course, de Nysschen stuck with his pro-diesel stance (he's even in favor of making diesel from natural gas) throughout, but what choice does he have on the matter, really?
[Source: GM-Volt]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
steve 8:05PM (9/08/2009)
It is amusing seeing these guys act like people are rational actors. What person in their right mind would pay $40k+ for an A6 given their reliability and cost of repair?
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Invisible 10:13AM (9/09/2009)
Exactly, what idiot spends $15,000 more on an A6 instead of just getting a Passat?
Mark Kiernan 8:17PM (9/08/2009)
Perhaps if Mr. de Nysschen loves diesel so much he can buy us all enough so we don't have to worry about the price. Here in Europe it costs about $6 a gallon (now $70 a barrel), it will go up to $9 when it reaches $130, does he still think diesel is something to continue using. I think the Audi management is separating from reality, you can refine the diesel engine all you want but you still can't get away from oil prices, I for one don't want to be stuck to oil in 5 years time.
Audi is starting to look old tech really fast.
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jpm 8:40PM (9/08/2009)
"only idiots would by the Chevy Volt"
hehe
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Chibi Chaingun - blackhivemedia.com 7:08AM (9/09/2009)
They should by a spellcheck program at by.com or say by-by to their editors and go back to writing about bycycles! :P
Sebastian 2:43PM (9/09/2009)
fixed by me :)
nrb 9:15PM (9/08/2009)
I'll say it again; If he wants to do a cost benefit analysis of vehicles, no one will buy an Audi.
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sepirioth 9:22PM (9/08/2009)
why is everyone hating on Audi? I am on my third one and LOVE them. que all the bitching all you want, i LOVE my cars and not a single one of them has come close to an Audi so far.
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Chris M 10:08PM (9/08/2009)
It's not so much "hating Audi" as ragging on stupid statements by an ill-informed Audi executive - an executive that apparently didn't know that Audi headquarters has already planned to produce an Audi plug-in sometime soon.
Ian 10:27AM (9/09/2009)
When I had problems with my 1998 Audi A4 this company was insulting to deal with. I was ultimately paid out of all my expenses after a Class Action Suit settled with them.
Not a company to be trusted that's for sure.
Now their ceo acts and speaks inappropriately. Why am I not surprised?
Rick 12:50AM (9/09/2009)
Hydrocarbons are still the real future - until 2050 at least I predict. Plug ins will exist in small numbers for a long time to come. It's not for nothing that the US intends to triple imports of tar sand oil by 2030.
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isometrik5 4:16AM (9/09/2009)
"still loves diesels" -- lol! Welp.... that's that.
-Dia | http://www.squidoo.com/WorkAtHome-NOW
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Xbox_Ninja 4:19AM (9/09/2009)
"...still loves diesels." Haha.. wellp, that's that. xD
-Dia | http://www.squidoo.com/WorkAtHome-NOW
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DasBoese 6:47AM (9/09/2009)
"Maybe in 20 years"
And why is that a reason not to invest in EV technology now? Early investment in emerging markets makes the difference between success and failure. The American Automakers learned their lesson, as did most of the Japanese.
I'm not keen on the prospect of having to bail out a failing VW-Audi-Porsche Group with government money in 20 years.
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RSR 8:42AM (9/09/2009)
Man of such position should be careful with each word.
"Maybe in 20 years" - for Audi, that is, while others will be 20 years ahead of them by then. Of course that's not going to be the case since Audi's working on it already just like everyone else.
I think he just wanted to bring down others.
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Turbofrog 11:58AM (9/09/2009)
"...the business case for the Volt – or any EV, for that matter – just doesn't make sense. Maybe in 20 years..."
Wank, wank, wank. Spoken like a true dinosaur. Given his demonstrated ignorance of the actual environmental virtues of EVs vs. diesel, I don't really see any reason to trust his other evaluations.
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Turbofrog 12:01PM (9/09/2009)
Also: it seems like a "tolerable amount of range" is exactly what you want for an efficient vehicle.
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Bentley 3:01PM (9/11/2009)
I live in the UK and drive a 2002 Audi A4 1.9Tdi estate which has done 132,000. I thought the fuel economy was amazing averaging 48mph on mainly urban driving. My mechanic recently persuaded me to get the engine management system re-mapped. The average mpg has shot up to 60mpg. The other day I drove on a trip of 180miles mainly on motorways averaging 60mph and averaged an incredible 73mpg. By the way the bhp has gone up from 130 to 170. What do you think of that America ?
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