Sunday, November 23, 2008
I am outraged over this!
Yesterday I bought a DVD movie that I just watched. It is a documentary titled, "Who Killed The Electric Car?" from Sony Pictures. I had heard of the General Motors EV-1 cars but didn't know much about them. Now I know a bit more about the cars and about how they have been removed from the marketplace in 2001 and some of the maneuverings of various US car companies, oil companies and others in the industry of transportation to kill them.
Here is the cover of the DVD and I suggest that everyone should buy (mine was $9.99 at Fred Meyer) or rent this to watch:
These cars were affordable and with the later batteries they had a good range of miles that could be covered. It would appear that they were removed from the marketplace by GM because they didn't want people to be able to buy them. The petroleum industry seems to have also been against them as they used very little of their product, mostly only lubricants. And the large auto repair/maintenance industry was against them- no more oil filters, spark plugs, oil changes, etc. The dealers who did work on them (GMs Saturn dealers) said about all that they did to the EV-1 was to have them come in every 5000 miles to rotate the tires and fill the windshield washer fluid. Of course there would be wheel bearings to pack, tires and brake components to replace as they wear out, etc, but that would be pretty small amounts of work compared to other vehicles.
Our government was also a party to this. They did offer a tax incentive of up to $4000 for the purchase of electric/hybrid vehicles but much larger tax incentives, at least for businesses, on large SUV type vehicles.
These American car companies are now all close to failing. The government has already given them $25billion in tax payer money to help finance their "move" into smaller, more economical vehicles. They HAD them in the EV-1 and others from Ford! Now these same company executives are going, in their private jet aircraft, to Washington DC to beg for another $25billion in order to "save" their businesses. I am really beginning to think we would be better off if they all file for bankruptcy, restructure themselves and come back with new leadership and perhaps a different outlook on what they should be doing.
If you would like to see more on this subject (the EV-1 and electric cars) go to Who Killed The Electric Car to learn more about this film and Plug In America dot org to learn more about pure electric cars. It might also be time to contact your senators and representatives to express your opinion on this bail out.
Now I'll get off my soap box and go myself to explore those two web sites. And write my letters.
Here is the cover of the DVD and I suggest that everyone should buy (mine was $9.99 at Fred Meyer) or rent this to watch:
These cars were affordable and with the later batteries they had a good range of miles that could be covered. It would appear that they were removed from the marketplace by GM because they didn't want people to be able to buy them. The petroleum industry seems to have also been against them as they used very little of their product, mostly only lubricants. And the large auto repair/maintenance industry was against them- no more oil filters, spark plugs, oil changes, etc. The dealers who did work on them (GMs Saturn dealers) said about all that they did to the EV-1 was to have them come in every 5000 miles to rotate the tires and fill the windshield washer fluid. Of course there would be wheel bearings to pack, tires and brake components to replace as they wear out, etc, but that would be pretty small amounts of work compared to other vehicles.
Our government was also a party to this. They did offer a tax incentive of up to $4000 for the purchase of electric/hybrid vehicles but much larger tax incentives, at least for businesses, on large SUV type vehicles.
These American car companies are now all close to failing. The government has already given them $25billion in tax payer money to help finance their "move" into smaller, more economical vehicles. They HAD them in the EV-1 and others from Ford! Now these same company executives are going, in their private jet aircraft, to Washington DC to beg for another $25billion in order to "save" their businesses. I am really beginning to think we would be better off if they all file for bankruptcy, restructure themselves and come back with new leadership and perhaps a different outlook on what they should be doing.
If you would like to see more on this subject (the EV-1 and electric cars) go to Who Killed The Electric Car to learn more about this film and Plug In America dot org to learn more about pure electric cars. It might also be time to contact your senators and representatives to express your opinion on this bail out.
Now I'll get off my soap box and go myself to explore those two web sites. And write my letters.
Comments:
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Ya ticks me off too... I went an dresearched it more myself thanks for the links.
Have a great Thanksgiving
Have a great Thanksgiving
That's dispicable, and probably not much of a surprise I guess. I don't blame you for being upset by it Dick.
I hope you and Pat have a great Thanksgiving!
I hope you and Pat have a great Thanksgiving!
Personally, I don't think any company should be bailed out by the government (of course I probably don't understand all the nuances of everything) - but the way I figure it, if I had a business and ran it into the ground, I don't think big government would come and pay my debts so I could run it into the ground again. The people in charge at these big companies are sure arrogant, aren't they? Once again, I don't claim to know everything or even a little about it, but it just seems plain old wrong to me. The private jet thing was just the last straw!
Thanks, Dick, for visiting my blog and for the nice comment! Your son will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Thanks, Dick, for visiting my blog and for the nice comment! Your son will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Sad and so typical of what has gone wrong in our country. I don't know how we get these people out of control. It is going to take more than a presidential change.
I drive a Toyota hybrid for Island Transit.
I hate the big business mafia!!
I must buy that video.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Be safe, and God Bless.
I hate the big business mafia!!
I must buy that video.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Be safe, and God Bless.
I put this on my Netflix. I like watching documentaries.
This ought to be better than the one I just watched recently about a man that threw acid in his girlfriend's face, blinding her, but they ended up getting married 40 years later.
This ought to be better than the one I just watched recently about a man that threw acid in his girlfriend's face, blinding her, but they ended up getting married 40 years later.
I saw a documentary on that this summer, and it really pissed me off that we allow such manipulating of our purchases by those with big money powers and lobbyists!! GRRRRRR
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