Former General Motors CEO Ed Whitacre is on a tour to promote his new book, and told USA Today in a recent interview that he thinks it is worth giving the Chevrolet Volt more time to see if can become a commercial success.
“I think it will create value for GM somewhere down the line,” Whitacre said. “It’s not like it sold zero.”
Indeed, the Volt sold 23,461 units in 2012, a 205.8 percent increase compared to 2011. However, some reports suggested that many Volt sales were to drivers through unrealistically low-priced leases that couldn’t have generated profits for GM.
In his new book, American Turnaround: Reinventing AT&T and GM and the Way We Do Business in the USA, Whitacre writes that the goal of the Volt project wasn’t necessarily to make money at first. “This wasn’t so much about a car as it was about sending a signal — to our employees and to America: GM as a creative force is back.”
Whitacre also said that he is proud to have rebuilt morale at GM, which was rock bottom when he arrived at the company. The ex-AT&T chief executive visited assembly lines, factories, and labs to gain an understanding of what was happening first hand; most of the time, the visits were unannounced.
“You get to know the people and how they feel about the company. Their objectives, goals,” he says. “I find people to be people everywhere. Everyone wants the same thing, be successful.”
On August 12, 2010, GM announced that Whitacre will step down as CEO effective on September 1, 2010 — to be replaced by Dan Akerson. Just days later, GM announced its initial public offering push.
Comments
I think electric cars are a great idea, but…they just don’t fit in in a large city. Take New York City, for example; where would you plug it in to re-charge it. The majority of homes are row-built with no garages or driveways. Parking, even near your home, is just about impossible, never mind trying to park in front of your home. And if you did park in front, what would you do, have an extension cord running across the sidewalk to the car? And, how is the state going to make up the short-fall on gasoline tax income?
To address the parking issue, there would have to be recharging terminals curbside; not nessisarrilly just outside the owners front door. No extension cord needed.
Owner pays at the terminal by credit card or phone app (probably safer with the phone app route) and get billed for power is consumed. As for the tax, it can be tacked on during at billing by the city.
I’m not saying it’s bullet proof, but that’s how would look at the issues you raised.
Ken — all the logistical concerns you have are undoubtedly issues that will need to be solved and/or overcome in the next decade. I personally don’t have all the answers to your questions… but if we were to take a step back and consider the issues you bring up on a larger scale (the importance of transportation and the eventual running out of fossil fuels), you can bet that what appear to be “issues” and “objections” today will be overcome in the long run as it relates to EVs and the logistics surrounding their operation.
Again, in a suburban area I can see it working, but in a large (or even medium-sized) urban area, good luck on finding a parking space where a “charging” terminal is located. I think it’s still a great idea, sadly, not for a larger city (where most of the population lives and cars are used).
Many years ago, in Patchogue, L.I., the owner of the local electric company had a Studebaker Electric. There were electrical oulets along Main Street where he could plug in.
But if charging termainals are available at all streetside parking spaces in NYC?
I mean standard parking meters are everywhere in NYC. I’m sure someone in the past thought that would never be able to be placed throughout the city in all available parking spaces.
For me, I would have to think how robust and near-bullet proof a charging terminal could be made. I look at the parking meters now and think of a chariging terminal made from similar materials. Consideration for connecter heads would be important; it would need to be strong enough to allow a truck to drive over it, but cannot allow someone to get shocked from it; same with the cord.
I do not understand why it would be hard to put outlets in. People park in big cities everywhere. In New York, Chicago, Detroit if you drive into the city to work you do not park on the street. You park in ramps or parking lots. Charging stations would be easy to put into the 10 story parking ramps. Perhaps all on the first floor and you can only park on the first floor if you have an electric.
So charging at work in a big city is not a big deal and from what I know most folks who do drive into Chicago or Detroit live out in the suburbs with a 2 or 3 car garage.
Now those who live in the downtown area in high rises usually do so so they can use public transportation so they do not even own a car.
Present gasoline stations can become charging stations, since that will be their new income. Fast charging is needed for visitors, but residents can pay for an overnight charge yet spend less than for a parking space plus a charge.
I’m sure that there will be a solution to this “problem” in the very near future. True, large urban areas are a problem…now. I’m sure that when gasoline-driven cars first appeared there was a “problem” getting fuel for them in many places. Whether electric, or compressed natural gas, or some other type of fuel (nitrogen gas, maybe) these problems will be overcome. Let’s hope that there is some serious research being done.
I’m sure that the oil companies have a lot to lose by this type of advancement, and they are at the forefront of holding back any advancement.