Why I hate GM
O.K. I don't really hate GM. Still, I'm not very fond of the corporation. Then again, I'm not very fond of most corporations. Even American corporations don't exist for Americans. Sure, American corporations provide jobs for Americans, but does that then excuse all corporate wrongdoings? Let us not forget even the Exxons of America provided jobs to Americans.
That's why GM really irks me. GM, as a corporation, doesn't care one crap about America. GM, as a corporation, cares only about shareholder value. Fine, that is the essence of corporations. (Finished in Comments)
That's why GM really irks me. GM, as a corporation, doesn't care one crap about America. GM, as a corporation, cares only about shareholder value. Fine, that is the essence of corporations. (Finished in Comments)
Labels: GM, Hybrid Vehicles
posted by Dahcredyns at
11:25 AM
1 Comments:
Since 9/11 and Katrina; however, it should have been obvious - even to corporate GM - that things needed to change. Yet, what has GM really done for America since these tragedies? I'm sorry, but if a new line of gas-guzzlers was the best GM could do, then GM sucks.
As I've stated numerous times, what if, just after 9/11, GM created some sort of 'Save America' campaign which called on Americans to buy GM's smaller vehicles, that GM would add flex-fuel technology to ALL vehicles, not just its biggest gas-guzzlers so they could buy CAFE credits. That GM would develop hybrids and other fuel efficient technologies as quickly as possible. That GM was focused on one goal, reducing oil dependency as quickly as possible.
Then again, look at GM's history
Have you ever heard of National City Lines? This was a front for GM to buy out all the electric trolleys in America and replace them with those black-smoke spewing buses. Sure the electric trolleys were facing some financial problems, partially due to WWII, but many of those trolleys were sold to Canada where they were successfully used for decades.
Today, many new light rail lines are being built on top of where the old tracks once were, as cities realize mass transportation is essential to survival.
Thanks GM.
Then there is the fuel cell issue. For decades, GM has told Washington that fuel cell vehicles were just around the corner, but warned the government that increasing fuel efficiency would prevent this 'revolutionary' development. Yet, decades later, fuel cell vehicles are still decades away.
Unfortunately, the potential of WWIII is just around the corner as America's foreign oil consumption fuels the fires of war.
Speaking of fuel cells
Ironically, GM fuel cell vehicles are going to be fuel cell hybrid vehicles - something Toyota has been claiming since about 2000. Even more interesting, many fuel cell makers believe plug-in hybrid vehicles actually represent the best platform to fuel cell vehicles because they enable fuel cells to remain small, which keeps costs down.
So, why didn't GM go gung-ho into the production of hybrid cars, especially considering their connection to fuel cells? GM's Bob Lutz has admitted that GM could have beat Toyota to the punch be using a fraction of their yearly marketing budget to develop hybrids. Instead, GM hyped the honor of buying foreign-oil guzzling vehicles, rather than developing cars that significantly reduce fuel consumption and hasten the path to fuel cells.
GM might be an American corporation, but they are certainly more corporation than American. After 9/11 I expected more from GM - I still expect more from GM.
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