Give the Big 3 a break, Take 2
How serious are we about ending foreign oil dependencyPresident Elect Barack Obama made a lot of strong statements during his Presidential campaign about energy security and green jobs, even touting $150 billion over 10 years to develop the green economy.
$150 billion will help, but it's a drop in the bucket needed for an energy revolution.
Not long ago, Al Gore suggested it would take $400 billion to develop a new, national smart grid - the kind of grid many experts claim is necessary for the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. Perhaps a company such as Better Place can alleviate the need for a such a super grid for EVs, but that's a different story.
Then, we need the electric vehicles, vehicles that are going to cost far more than conventional vehicles for many, many years. Finish: Give the Big 3 a break, Take 2
Labels: electric cars, Foreign Oil Dependency, fuel efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles
posted by Dahcredyns at
8:17 AM
5 Comments:
Full Story
President Elect Barack Obama made a lot of strong statements during his Presidential campaign about energy security and green jobs, even touting $150 billion over 10 years to develop the green economy.
$150 billion will help, but it's a drop in the bucket needed for an energy revolution.
Not long ago, Al Gore suggested it would take $400 billion to develop a new, national smart grid - the kind of grid many experts claim is necessary for the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. Perhaps a company such as Better Place can alleviate the need for a such a super grid for EVs, but that's a different story.
Then, we need the electric vehicles, vehicles that are going to cost far more than conventional vehicles for many, many years.
Yet, America isn't going to be 100 percent electric by 2020 - that's still decades away. Electric vehicles can't be the only solution. We need to do everything we can do today. In the interim, we need many more hybrid vehicles, as well as programs to make every single vehicle sold as efficient as possible with the technology available today.
Does bankrupting the Big 3 make that happen faster? Does it make it easier?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, we've heard promises from the Big 3 before. We're tired of GM and the Big 3 always being about manana.
Nonetheless, each of the Big 3 has already invested billions in hybrid and electric vehicle programs, as well as other fuel efficient technologies, such as direct injection, start/stop, etc. Why waste that knowledge and investment? Besides, $30 billion is a drop in the bucket compared to the money required to secure our energy independence, and bankruptcy will cost far more than $30 billion as well.
Still, there is no denying that for decades, the Big 3 showed little leadership, as did Congress and most consumers. And, the stupidity of consumers and Congress cannot be simply swept over to automakers.
But, we don't need blame today, we need solutions.
If Detroit doesn't get it now, they never will, and risking $30 billion in loans to give them one last chance is far less than the costs of just bankrupting the Big 3 today.
So, I say we give the Big 3 a break. A new Congress. A new President. And, hopefully, a new Detroit. Now is time for hope, not hate.
Nancy Pelosi has already stated that the automakers are going to get help. Apparently, she is in charge of everything!
Nice story.. Check out this one....
http://factsandtechnologies.blogspot.com/2008/07/latest-technologies-in-cars-toyota.html
Are they going to be happy with 30 billion or are they going to come crying again like little bitches and ask for more. They already rised their $ request.
I think that whatever their final request is should be there last request. This bailout should be seen as a last chance in my opinion.
jabroni- pelosi gets on my nerves as well, but she has been pretty vocal about increasing fuel economy standards for instance. likewise, she supports California's EPA waiver request, which would have a big effect on pushing Detroit.
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