I read on MSNBC.com that GM unveiled its electric concept car – the Chevrolet Volt. GM went on to say – and I swear I am not making this up – “GM officials stressed that development of the battery pack is critical to the concept vehicle reaching showrooms, and the technology likely won’t be available until 2010 or 2012”
In other words, except for knowing how to make a battery for their electric car, everything else is pretty much under control. If you were an employee of GM, I have to think this would worry you. But wait, there’s more.
GM went on to say that they realize the Volt’s price will have to be competitive. In other words, they are pinning their hopes on someday figuring out how to make a battery, and someday figuring out how to make the entire car as cheaply as a standard car that already has gigantic economies of scale.
GM says it could save the owner up to $900 per year in gas. Nitpicking economists will notice that they don’t mention whether the total energy cost of producing the car and the electricity to run it is more or less than the total energy consumed in creating and using a regular car.
To summarize GM’s Concept:
Someday GM hopes to figure out how to make a big honkin’ car battery, and figure out how to do it economically, and hope the whole project ends up saving more energy than it consumes, or failing in that, hope no one asks how much energy it takes to build the cars.
It’s called a “concept car” because that sounds better than “something we pulled out of our ass and hope to someday shove up yours.”
A GM Vice President said, “This is not a publicity stunt.” Another GM vice president added, “We’ve been working very quietly and methodically on the concept and all the details associated with it.”
I’m guessing that the happiest employees at GM are the ones who are working on concepts. That sounds way easier than building actual cars. I’m the sort of guy who would not last long in that department. During meetings I’d be all “Let’s say the car will fly as soon as we figure out how to build an anti-gravity pack that only costs a nickel.” Everyone would stare at me and the room would get quiet. Then I’d say, “And it should be invisible and indestructible, and use no energy.”
Again, the room would get very quiet. There might be some nervous shuffling. Then I’d say, “What’s the matter with you people? Don’t you know what a concept is???”
That would be my last day in the concept department, and in all likelihood, the beginning of my career as a cartoonist.
Here’s the link to the full story:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16503845/ [no longer available]