Anyone following green technology probably (or should) knows of the chronicles of fuel efficient-yet-sporty cars such as the Tesla roadster and Chevy Volt. While they spell the future for head turning cars that will lower our carbon footprint, both have been plagued by setbacks- each of their own kind.
I wont get into the trials and tribulations of Tesla too much. All you need to know is that Tesla and Fisker (the company behind the Fisker Karma electric supercar) have been suing each other back and forth over stolen power train designs. Lets face it, there are a growing number of wealthy people as the gap between the rich and poor continues to grow. In addition, for rich people, owning a hybrid is the automotive equivillent to wearing a “Livestrong,” bracelet wherein its all about showing everyone else that you are behind a cause. Based on these things, people of wealth are going to come out in droves for both cars, thus the bickering between the two companies can only hurt them, as the cars could never see the light of day. But enough of that soap opera.
The Volt has been Chevrolet’s concept darling for some time now, being unveiled at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show with much fanfare. Since then, the confirmed date of production has been debated and changed multiple times. As it stands currently, Bob Lutz of GM has said it will be a 2010 model and has been giving routine updates to the public as to how development is coming along.
Two things don’t settle right with me about the routine updates. 1) Like the Chevy Camaro concept, which has been sitting around as a concept for some time now, Lutz just likes to create buzz off the same thing as much as possible, milking any kind of excitement over the product dry. Both get overexposed, like Presidential campaigns these days, so that by the time its all over, people are apathetic. 2.) Having routine updates with new information every time can’t be good for the development team. It’s like Hitler asking Verner Bon Braun, “Hey how are those V-2 rockets coming along? Ein have a schity to bomb!” Such pressure simply cannot be good for the scientists working on the Volt.
In general, I am skeptical because GM has always represented the old ways, in my mind. They have been the poster child for the corner-cutting bottom line, and were forever staunch opponents to any sort of green technology. For me, they were Big Tobacco, Big Oil, and the NRA all rolled into one. For them to do an about-face either is representative of some sort of genuine thought change, or just being opportunistic.
The whole Tahoe hybrid thing seemed a little goofy to me, as many scientists will point out that hybrid technology is most effective on cars with smaller mass, and such technology is only marginally effective on full-size SUV’s. Why doesn’t GM put such technology or a clean diesel in any of its smaller cars? They ARE putting hybrid technology into the Malibu, but that to me just seems like them saying, “Well Nissan is doing it with the Altima and Toyota is with the Camry, we better do it to compete.” That is not truly drinking the “green” Kool-Aid. Until hybrids, hydrogen cars, and clean diesel is available in affordable small and mid-size cars, these top-of-line hybrids such as the Lexus LS600h L, and Tahoe hybrid that ONLY come fully loaded, will appear to me to be just a large donation to the Sierra Club, that you can drive to work.
Tags: Chevy Volt Tahoe Hybrid Tesla Roadster Fisker Karma
