http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...LQ0&refer=home

I have a real problem with the illusion versus the show room inventory:

• BAS - they seem to be available but I don't get the impression they are flying off the lots. Their relatively low mileage makes them a hard sell.
• two-mode - GM is barely at the starting gate Toyota was in 2000 when the first Prius showed up. The limited availability and up-scale marketing suggests it will be a slow start until GM can ramp up to 100,000+ units per year. It isn't the count of models, it is the count of units sold that matters.
• flex-fuel - a start but no significant fuel savings for the vehicle owners. Good for farmers, not so good for the vehicle owner at the pump. If it were an extra cost option, I suspect the numbers would plummet.
• hydrogen - riding upon the success of the EV1 leases. Until these go on sale to ordinary buyers, "green-wash," and the unit counts, 10*2, are off by 10*3 from where they need to be.

I appreciate how hard it is to change directions and GM deserves a lot of credit for the effort. But there is a long row to hoe before GM hybrid sales make a significant impact with wheels on road.

Bob Wilson

 

i dont think the deserve any credit for their effort. They have a history of flashing the market with things they have no intention of actually trying to make work. Or worse manipulating the market to destroy it,(claiming no one wanted to buy the EV1 so it was not worth pursuing an electric car) or even worse than that engaging in conspiracy to destroy one technology to favor their own more expensive less useful technology. ( electric trollies were replaced for diesel busses)

When they have something that seriously competes with Toyota or Honda, or something truly revolutionary and I can go to a dealership and buy one for a competitive price then I will take a look at it seriously as an option. Until then they are just distracting everyone.

 

To say GM is jumping the gun in terms of achievements is fairly obvious.

Telling people that you are 'right in that race' when you sold less a little over 1,000 hybrids (and mild ones at that) last year, compared to Toyota who sold almost 300K hybrids last year... It's just laughable.