This article is part of the GM Authority Opinion Desk series, where you can see exactly what’s on the minds of the GM Authority crew.
Price vs. Adoption Rate
Is the Volt pricey from a budgetary standpoint? It is — after 8 years of ownership, you would have more money in your pocket if you bought a Cruze LTZ compared to the Volt. But this is where we ,as a society, really need to think about the long term impact that such a decision would have on our future. I simply bring up flat screen TVs as an example of what happens to an industry when society accepts new technologies.
Ten years ago, many 42-inch flat screen televisions were selling for well over $5,000. Today they can be had, with higher quality, for well under 20 percent of that five year-old price. Had we not purchased those expensive flat screens (instead opting for the big-ol’ Cathode Ray Tubes which were far cheaper at the time), we’d most likely still be housing those clunky CRT screens. The popularity of the flat screen decreased the cost of new technology while allowing manufacturers of flat screens to advance in the areas of liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma, digital light processing (DLP), and the latest kid on the block – organic light emitting diode (OLED). The quicker we accept the technology, the cheaper and better it becomes. Pick an industry, and this rule will always apply.
Similarly, our decision to buy or reject the Volt will have the same impact on the advancement of alternative energy. Should the Volt succeed, it will not only advance innovation in the auto industry, it will also trigger other industries to follow suit. The faster the Volt’s success, the faster society benefits from technological advancement.
Adopt Or Die
Companies that develop motorcycles, yard maintenance tools for landscapers or machinery for construction companies will be forced (through competitive and market forces) to develop non-internal combustion engine (ICE) products. Those companies that decide to ignore the market shift, will eventually meet the same fate as The Smith-Corona Typewriter Company when it ignored the acceptance of the personal computer in the consumer and the business world.
The Real Question
The real question is — as a society, are we perceptive enough to understand how much influence we have on our future standard of life by buying the Volt? Do we understand that we have the power to rapidly change our energy needs, including our dependence on foreign oil? Do we understand the positive change we could have on the environment 10 years from now? Perhaps we are still a few years out until people see the impact vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt will have, but change must start somewhere — and on that front — it’s great to see General Motors at the forefront of innovation once again.
This article is part of the GM Authority Opinion Desk series, where you can see exactly what’s on the minds of the GM Authority crew.
Comments
The best thing that could happen to America is $5.00+. It would force us to develop and consiter real alternatives to the F150 as our most popular mode of trasportation, and allso develop and consiter real alternatives to oil from forein enemys as fuel. Guilt and shame from the environmental community has been counterproductive we should all see this as a national securety issue, the US and Canada have great Oil and Coal resorces that are either ilegal or not cost effective to tap with the currant price of oil, let it double and suddenly we will have our energy independance, and the Arab nations will starve, and than suck up to the US and Europe with cheep oil, The oil companys are mercenery they will allways stick with the buy low sell high montra of capitalism. Sure today we think that electric motors are not macho, but tomorow when 454 Chevells are only in museums with SJ Dusenburgs; there will be a whole generation of people who see the Electric Chevy as the savior of American freedom and our way of life, The environmentalists and the Muscle Car folks are both dinasours and it’s time for them to get off the stage and let the grown ups save our American way of life.
Agreed,
Dealerships LOVE rising fuel prices!
Simply because the higher the price climbs, the more economical vehicles we sell.
The large gas guzzelers “escalade” “Denali” “suburban” are a thing of the past. (excluding hybird).
Rumors however state that the new corvette c7 is exspected to be equipped with an “eco,flex,hybird” engine.
How far is too far??
Really? There are rumors of a C7 with a hybrid powertrain? That’s the first I’ve heard of it.
PS: the the hybrid variants of the GMT-900s are somewhat ironic in nature. They see a few MPG increase… but are still terrible on fuel eco.