robinjoe

Ford's Plan to Undercut GM's Volt

Batteries just aren't economical yet. Electric cars of the trolley type should be fine as would a series hybrid of proper design and by that I mean cheap <$10,000. > $40,000 is insane and shows just how out of touch GM is. If the gov't could afford me they should appoint me energy czar and I would fix this non-sense.

Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News

Old Trader, Ford has received billions from the DoE in corporate welfare so they aren't pure by any means. But refering to my earlier post, the perception is that they are the last "American" car company standing.

Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News

I think the American car companies have been kept afloat for decades by people who want to "buy American". I think this also explains the descrepencies in the sales figures. Buying "welfare cars"/Chrysler & GM vehicle is not considered "American" by middle Ameirica. Ford is the only true American car company left standing in their eyes. As the owner of several Fords, I'm in that camp as well. If I'm right, then GM and Chrysler had better build superior cars in a big hurry because they are on the same footing as Honda and Toyota in the mind of US consumers which means they will be compared soley on their products. Treacherous turf to be sure.

Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News

Europe is an non-competetive as it gets yet it doesn't run huge trade deficits. Other than protectionism, how do I explain this...VAT. Tax consumtion rather than production.

Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News

I'm in the business and I was shocked by the Northrop win. I would call it a shot across the bow for the tanker bid to be sure. I've been thinking that the Aif Force is pissed about the rigged tanker bid that has tarnished their reputation and is taking it out on the perp, Boeing.

Popular Mechanics Gets It Wrong on Buick Hybrid

The Volt is in part a brilliant idea, one I had 26 years ago. The problem was in its goals and execution. An all electric drive train is brilliant and to prove its efficiency look at every modern locomotive. Diesel engine, electric drive train. Simple elegant, brilliant and far more versatile that idiot hybrids like the Prius and the far stupider versions everyone else is making. The problem is they should have aimed for a price point of way under $10,000 and they would have come up with totally different answers to engineering challenges. Now they have a car noone will buy but the govt. These guys are so stupid they could screw up sex!

Where General Motors Is Thriving Right Now

Let's build an infrastructure in cities for electric cars and diesel-electric hybrids that get 80+ mpg before we go down the hydrogen path for which there is no infrastructure.

Why Silicon Valley Should Take Over the Auto Industry

I designed a hybrid car 25 years ago and it was ridiculously simple. Hybrids should be LESS expensive not more. The reason they are more is because the car makers are trying to recoup some of their investment and utilize their expertise unnecessarily. The engine should not have a drive train. It should connect only to the generator and only operate in an on-off fashion. It should run at its peak SFC only, which only reacquires a ventury carburetor with no butterfly. When the battery is low it comes on. When charged it should be off. Simple and ridiculously cheap and ridiculously efficient. 100mpg no problem.

A Modest Proposal For The U.S. Auto Industry: Stop Building Cars

Exactly, the cool thing that could come out of this is is you are 5'4" you will be able to order a car with a seat for someone 5'4" i.e customization. You should be able to order everything the way you want it. If someone builds the Intel of engines, the NVidia of transmissions, etc you can have that in your car. $2000 for a $250 stereo will be a thing of the past.