Dear GM: Melt Down Your Hummers and Give Us Electric Cars
Editor’s Note: Marc is one of the newest additions to the Gas 2.0 writing team. Welcome Marc!
In between a heavy rotation of aspirin, Tylenol, and Motrin, washed down with the cheapest scotch I could find, I took a few minutes to stop focusing on the ever-imploding economy and my prospects for having a job in six months, to do some problem solving for the world.
According to what anyone of any authority in the United States would have you believe, the collapse of the Big Three automakers (as if they are inextricably linked) would send our economy from the thin patch of ice that it is currently skating on, into the frigid depths to drown. Job loss estimates that I’ve seen range to two and a half million, not much less than one percent of the entire population of the country. It is for this reason, apparently, that Congress will likely throw a lifeline to each of the Big Three, by printing up trainloads (a Hummer might do actually – thanks GM!) of cash and wishing it well (thanks taxpayers!).
- » See also: Is the Renault-Nissan Alliance Going in Two Different Electric Car Directions?
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It is said that GM, without assistance, could fail before the end of December. So, I suppose that now would not be a bad time to stop running those Hummer and Cadillac ads, and concentrate on conserving some cash. I remember back in the summer, when there was nothing but optimism surrounding GM. The Volt, as everyone has forgotten by now (especially GM) was going to be the most technologically advanced, most efficient vehicle ever produced. And the best thing about it? It didn’t resemble a GM car at all. Never mind that it wasn’t expected to roll out until 2010.
So by saving GM, Congress can preserve for all of our consuming pleasure, any and all Buicks, Pontiacs (name one), GMCs and other assorted large, heavy, gas-guzzling vehicles. To my understanding, cars that get twenty miles to the gallon, are unreliable, and unattractive, don’t sell too well in this market. Years ago, economists, governments, and even CEOs fighting regulation, referred to a concept, termed by Adam Smith, as the “invisible hand.” Though the concept over time strayed from Smith’s original metaphor, it essentially promoted that market forces, namely consumers, should determine whether a business fails or succeeds. Producers making a good product would thrive, in theory. Those making an inferior product would fall by the wayside.
It’s hard to argue that GM shouldn’t fall by the wayside. They’ve come too far, and accomplished far too little. But perhaps there is a solution. If you’ve been digging under rocks or dynamiting mountains in search of gold or diamonds, you may have noticed that GM actually produces some hybrid vehicles. In fact, one of GM’s few successful vehicles, the Chevy Malibu, is available as a hybrid model. You can buy an Escalade hybrid, or a Saturn Vue hybrid.
Why these vehicles idle noiselessly in obscurity is anyone’s guess. But as part of the agreement to bail out this stubborn and plodding old car company, the government should mandate the company one simple task: Within six months, produce only hybrid or electric vehicles. Leave it to GM to decide which brands to delete, or whether to double its efforts on the Volt. The government can only do so much. GM may choose to leave its redundant brands intact, and the Volt may (following form) become an afterthought to the company’s survival. In any case, eventually the invisible hand will do its work.
Image Credit: gmeurope at Flickr under a Creative Commons License
Hey Tim,
A: In a city that has a lot of hills
The reasoning behind my comment is - driving ’style’
Many people do not drive and/or maintain their vehicles in such a way that will give them the efficiency they could be getting. Thankfully, the problem of driving style seems to be coming up more often now and many are more mindful of it; hopefully more and more will take notice and change as well.
This is not a argument against GM, but over the industry and our culture. 22/32 really isn’t very good, compared to what the industry is capable of producing. The ‘32′ could be on the left side.
The Govt needs to increase fuel economy standards. The industry can and will respond with solutions.
Something also needs be done to get rid of some or all of these ridiculous gas-guzzling monsters driving throughout the south…
Tim, thank you for posting some factual material here. These articles are ridiculous and wholly based on personal bias in my opinion. Your contribution is a much needed breath of fresh and relevant information.
Don’t the American people decide what they want?
The two top selling vehicles last year were the Ford and Chevy Pickups (non hybrid).
Why do we insist on trying to controll the market, people should be allowed to buy what they want - this will guide GM, FORD and Chrysler - not congress and irrational enviromentalist.
Wasn’t it proven that building and driving a Hummer for 10 years was more cost effective AND more environmentally friendly than building and driving a Toyota Prius for the same amount of time?
Tim cleland,
Thank you. It is time that someone started telling the truth about the American Auto industry.
You forgot the Ford hybrid SUVs which are also leaders in their class in fuel economy.
I guess it is just too hard to look at reality and stop the bashing for non-existent faults.
How many of those professing the EV to be the do-all end-all of automotive design have actually checked the efficiency when compared to a current design diesel, car or pick-up truck on the basis of the carbon dumped into the atmosphere to actually provide the power for motivation. The power for these poor excuses for performance make them among the most highly polluting vehicles in the world.
That could be changed by replacing all of the coal fired power plants with nuclear ones, or by upgrading them to use “stack scrubbers” that really work. Under our current system of “Carbon Credits” which are really “Permits to Pollute”, your favorite EV causes a lot of pollution. Why aren’t you campaigning for elimination of “Carbon Credits”?
Now a small problem with these excuses for automotive vehicles, They simply can not tow a travel trailer at any reasonable speed or for a reasonable distance. I have one of the lightest travel trailers available. It grosses at 4838 pounds. My gas guzzling pickup gets 19 mpg empty and highway. When towing the trailer at only 60 MPH, I am very lucky to get 12 mpg, again freeway without hills. Throw in a few hills and 10 mpg is very good. I can however cover 400 miles easily in a single day. Are there any EV drivers who wish to challenge for capability? or do you only consider those with driving needs or desires that match you own?
For your information, I have talked with many other travel trailer owners. They report better mileage than I get with their heavy duty diesel pickup trucks.
And if you want good mileage in a car, GAS.2.0 has reported in the past on the European Ford Fiesta that gets 73 Imperial mpg.
“Tim cleland,
Thank you. It is time that someone started telling the truth about the American Auto industry.
You forgot the Ford hybrid SUVs which are also leaders in their class in fuel economy. ”
Yes, you’re right. The Escape was the first SUV hybrid on the market too.
More EVs not more Hummers Hear Hear!
Tim, In the 1990’s GM was given beteween 8 & 9 BILLION dollars to develope hybrids. What do we, the taxpayers, have to show for it? GM, in the late 1990’s bought HUMMER, for what … 2 BILLION? Now they’re paying the piper. It cost GM over ONE BILLION to buy out Olds dealers when they finally shut that waste basket down. The GM board does not get it. Like you, they brag about poor MPG as though it’s great. “Hey! Or Guzzler land barges get 19mpg!!!” GM doesn’t get it. We don’t need land barges, any more than europeans need land barges. Even if we DO need a big truck once every couple years, we can LEASE it … if and when we need it. Braging about cars getting mpg’s in the 20’s ?? My God, over 8 BILLION thrown at GM to make a hybrid, and what does GM do? They stuff it in an Escalade? Inexplicable! GM didn’t built a 50mpg car, Toyota did. GM should have. GM comes to Congress, tin cup in hand, begging for $$$ and what do they do? They CEO’s show up in private jets? And what did GM do with the latest batch of BILLIONS we taxpayers threw at them? ZERO interest, on GM’s guzzlers. So, once fuel prices go back up, we U.S. citizens are stuck with cars known for unreliability (see the last decade of Consumer Reports, compared to Asian companies) as well has horrible mileage. The best thing would have been for GM to file bankruptcy, in stead of taking free taxpayer money, and then fileing bankruptcy anyways. What a waste.