Carmakers scrap electric vehicles Pulling the plug

SF Gate ^ | 10/10/02 | Carl Hall

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

It used to be the car of the future. Then it became a has-been. Now it's a cause.

So it goes in the start-stop-start-stop world of the all-electric, charge- and-go, battery-operated car -- the first Edsel of the new millennium.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

STOP THE LEFTISTS

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[Petronski]

Who wants to go tooling around in a giant electric razor in the first place?

[Gumlegs]

Well, gee, San Franciscans, if the public is that rabid for electric vehicles, why not produce your own? Open your own factory. Put your own money at risk. Except that it's a sure thing, right?

[oyez]

What? No Voltswagon?

The Hidenburg must be the car of the future.

[Seruzawa]

How typical of lefties to think they have a "right" to buy a car that costs $120,000 to produce for only $30,000.

Looters.

[Huck]

Perfect response.

[Blood of Tyrants]

"There are waiting lists for this car.."

Translation: "Three people came in last month and asked about them."

"I could sell 5,000 of them myself in this city alone."

Translation: "I could sell 5,000 of them myself in this city alone if the government would subsidize 99% of the price."

[Fudd]

In addition to making the thing in SF, I'm sure (really) that they could convice GM to donate the design plans and tooling used in the production run, as a gesture of good will towards these tree huggers who would get a hard dose of economic reality.

[HamiltonJay]

All told, no more than about 5,000 electric cars are on the road in California

So let me get this right, everyone that has one knows 4-5 people who want one... and one guy claims he can single handedly sell 5,000 of them? Well since there are only 5k on the road, in CA, that means if indeed everyoone who knows 5 more people who want (and lets assume all 5 of thos wanters will actually buy) you get to a whopping 25k in a state of how many people? 40-60 Million or more? Yea, that's a winning idea.

25k units every 3-5 years is not going to be profitable or worth time. It might be an opportunity for a smaller regional company to start up specializing in them.... but I think Hybrids have put the electric car to its grave, at least for now. If batery recharge gets down to 5 minutes, range gets to 300-400 miles per charge, then you will have a realistic mass market vehicle, not before.

[LibKill]

Typically, electric cars will go no more than 60-120 miles, depending on driving style, speed and terrain, before they need recharging. (snip) it can take four to six hours for a full recharge.

That is why they don't sell.

Get the range up to 400 miles and charge time down to 15 minutes and some people will buy them.

[Gorzaloon]

He usually can charge up the EV1 overnight, when rates are low, and he can take his portable charger on the road to plug in wherever he can find a heavy-appliance outlet.

....And he can bring his siphon tube, wherever he can find an unlocked gas cap.

No difference.

[TheBattman]

Aficionados blame the electric car's failure not on any inherent problems with the technology or designs, or on any lack of enthusiasm among potential buyers. They blame it on a lack of enthusiasm among carmakers in love with the big profits they make on those honking big SUVs.

That's because consumers WANT those "honking big SUVs! What a bluming idiot.... if the general population wanted those cramped, slow little electric cars, then they would be willing to pay for them (normally significantly more expensive than the comparable gasoline vehicle) and thus would provide a desireable market for the automakers. Unfortunately, despite the claims of the idiots in the posted article, there just isn't a real demand for these vehicles. The average consumer is looking for a larger vehicle than those little EV cars. SUVs are still the top selling portion of the marketplace- for a reason. Would the idiot in the article )photographer) specialize or spend his resourses in a market that he could not make an money at?

[VOA]

The monthly lease, which includes all routine service, runs a stiff $484 with taxes.

IIRC, when I read an article about how the EV1 was being discontinued, partly because
of a propensity for spontaneous combustion...the approx. $500/month lease
rate was a bargain for a car that should sell for approx. $50,000-$70,000.

Wacky Californians won't be happy until people from the rest of the country are paying
for ALL of their transporation costs.
(Truth be known, they all want H2 Hummers...)

[sheik yerbouty]

They were just expensive golf carts.

[Flashman_at_the_charge]

Private companies shouldn't have to foot the bill for liberal social experiments. What's Gray Davis getting ferried around in these days?

[CHATTAB]

What I'd really like to buy is this:
A Briggs & Stratton (or similar) 20HP or so, 2 cylinder, single-seater, with automatic, fully enclosed commuting car. With only 3 wheels, it would be even better, because it could be licensed & insured as a motorcycle. I know there are electric three-wheelers, and super fast/powerful three wheeled sports cars. But why not make a modern version of the old Morgan 3-wheelers in kit form? Classic styling; 2 wheels out front, one in the back. Yes, I know, anything the size of a Geo on up would kill me if it hit me, but I'd die if I were on a motorcycle anyway, right?

[Octar]

Steve Braunstein, who plays bassoon and contrabassoon with the San Francisco Symphony

Contrabassoon: Also known as the Farting Bedpost.

[RightWhale]

End of the road for battery-powered electric cars. It's just beginning for fuel-cell electric cars, and they will be around for a long time.

[NormsRevenge]

GO SIMON

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Tom McClintock for CA State Controller



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Dick Ackerman for CA Attorney General



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