Add your comments
Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.
When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.
To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.
Please note that gratuitous links to your site are viewed as spam and may result in removed comments.
GM shrinks Volt's gas tank, range drops from 600 to 360 miles
MINI dealers to sell Alfa Romeos in the U.S.
Honda to reveal OSM open-top concept in London
With crisis looming, GM may unveil Volt for 100th anniversary
Next BMW M5 will nix V10 in favor of twin-turbo V8
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Lincoln MKS
Track Test: 2008 Roush 427R Trak Pak Mustang
In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Porsche Cayman S
First Drive: 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Mazda MX-5 Miata Retractable Hard Top
Reader Comments for
Subscribe to this thread(Page 1 of 1)
Lithous @ Jun 10th 2006 5:34PM
"With U.S. automakers well behind the power curve of hybrid technology development and product rollout (Ford's hybrids notwithstanding), basing their strategies on an ethanol-based transition to a hydrogen future could leave them on the outside looking in, provided hybrids gain the hearts and minds of car buyers in the next decade."
That sounds a little anti-American and anti-GM. So U.S. automakers are far behind with Ford notwithstanding? Well that leaves only GM then doesn't it (except for those who don't follow the car industry very closely and never heard any DCX execs say it wasn't a merger of equals)? But wait, who is GM "well behind" in the hybrid game? Are any of the Koreans years ahead of GM's two mode hybrid Tahoe coming out? How about the Germans, how many German full hybrids will be out before GM's? Wait, GM has a light hybrid like Bosch's too, and Bosch was mentioned (ever hear of the VUE coming out in mere months? Back to the other players... So, after Honda axes the Insight Honda will have an Accord and Civic hybrid and GM will have a VUE and Malibu hybrids (and a very measily Silverado version with hardly any gains but we won't count it) in 2007, right? You know, the Accord which is such a stunning hybrid that it gets like $650 tax credit or something. Is GM going to have more hybrids than Ford (who was nonwithstanding) available in 2007? They easily could.
GM is clearly behind Toyota in hybrids and slightly behind Honda (closely matched in 2007 as far as number of models offered). If that is what you meant by them being "well behind" then my question is how many haters are going to perceive your words as them being behind the rest of the world and not just behind 1 or 2 companies? So, why did you pick just the Americans (actually just GM) as being so well behind? Looks like the world is behind Toyota in hybrid technology not just American companies (or more specifically GM).
Honda must be behind Toyota as well and far enough that they didn't just make the Insight a sedan for 2006 or 2007 and call it a (money making) day, now did they?
How about Eric doing a comparison of the Bosch hybrid system and GM's BAS? Why him? He is the only autoblogger that does original material (and a day in the garage doesn't count).
Then a comparison of GM's two mode system coming out in the Tahoe. Yes, great idea. Please compare and contrast all known hybrid systems from the major auto manufacturers and SHOW how GM is "well behind"?
http://www.gm.com/company/gmability/adv_tech/300_hybrids/hyb_timeline.html