Bob Lutz, who has held top positions at BMW, Ford, Chrysler and General Motors, likely never made his way to CEO due to his downright blunt attitude. However, that made him a perfect fit for the roles he did serve in, though.
As GM’s vice chairman during the end of the 00s, Lutz is credited with injecting life and much-needed quality control back into GM products, while paving the way for the first-generation Chevrolet Volt. He sat down with The LA Times to discuss a wide range of topics, touching on Tesla, emission standards, politics and what will become of enthusiasts in the future.
Lutz keeps pace on Tesla, a favorite topic of his, stating the company continues to bleed cash and offers up nothing other automakers don’t already possess. While he commends Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, for what he has achieved, Lutz isn’t bullish on Tesla in general.
“Every carmaker on the planet has electric vehicles in the works with a 200-300-mile range. Raising capital is not going to help, because fundamentally the business equation on electric cars is wrong. They cost more to build than what the public is willing to pay. That’s the bottom line.”
On that note, when asked what it will take for consumers to move into more electric vehicles, Lutz shifts to infrastructure and politics.
“I’m a longtime proponent of federal taxation on motor fuels, and the time to do it is now, when gas prices are low. You put 25 cents on and there’s a big hue and cry, but by the time the midterm elections roll around it’s forgotten. I’d dedicate the 25 cents a gallon to infrastructure.”
“Trump is quite right. Our infrastructure is in a parlous state. Where’s the money going to come from?”
Lutz also reveals he cast his vote for our current commander in chief, but offered up some advice for number 45 in the process, too.
“It would have been nice to have a conservative president who is more unifying and more careful about what he says. My concern with Trump’s constant tweets, he’s very often at odds with what his Cabinet members say. If I had any influence over him, which I don’t, I would strongly encourage him to stop that, especially the angry tweets. Let’s face it, it’s juvenile. What is he, 71 or 72? You’d think he’d have developed a thicker skin.”
Lutz, to end the conversation, also reaffirms his stance on the future of cars and their enthusiasts, painting a future where drivers will be barred to private race tracks to keep manually-driven vehicles off of public roads.
“Those will be nice because they’ll be unfettered by regulations, since they’re not on public highways, and they will be the equivalent of riding stables and dude ranches now.”
Comments
“Touches on Trump”…
Did Lutz grab his kitty? Oh meowwww! He’ll need his Marine skills now!
Just Sean, the guy who preached to us how Donald J. Trump “would never be President” and used almost every single preselection article to bash President Trump in his sneaky way…Only to be humilated come election night as President Trump defeated Hillary Clinton.
Say it with me now, Sean, “President Donald J. Trump”…Your sore loser disease is showing its ugly face when you can’t even respect the democratic process and Office and refer to President Trump by his proper title…
And you wonder why 70% of Americans don’t trust and hate the liberal media…
You are exactly why America voted out you left-wing nutjob and in a Big League fashion.
More crying and whining won’t fix the collapsed Democratic party and it’s election himilation. If you lose to “stupid Trump”, then you are obviously not very intelligent or educated. The
“… you are obviously not very intelligent or educated. The.” – Box
I can see Russia from my house – Sarah Palin, Rep Vice Presidential candidate
Rape can’t cause pregnancy – Todd Akin, Rep Miss 2nd Con.Dist.
I dabbled in witchcraft, but because I never joined a Coven, I am not a witch – Christine O’Donnell, Rep Del US Sen. candidate
Swallow a camera to see a baby in her tummy – Vito Barbieri, Rep Idaho Senate
I like the color red because it’s a fire. And I see myself as always being on fire – Rep CA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
President Washington, President Lincoln, President Wilson, President Teddy Roosevelt have all authorized electronic surveillance on a far broader scale – Rep Attorney General under W Bush Alberto Gonzalez
Let’s clean up some of your odd facts!
I can see Russia from my house! – Sarah Palin
This is statement was not made by Sarah Palin but by Tina Fey portraying Sarah Palin on SNL.
President Washington, President Lincoln, President Wilson, President Teddy Roosevelt have all authorized electronic surveillance on a far broader scale.
I did not know electricity was available during President Washington’s time!
During President Lincoln electricity was in its infancy and was used for telegraphs. It was much more effective to cut telegraph lines than to tap them!
Tapping telegraph lines did not seem to be popular until WWI under Wilson’s time, and even then the British had to show Americans the rewards of it. Need we say Zimmermann telegram.
During Governor Palin’s first major interview as heartbeat-away-from-commander-in-chief, interviewer Charles Gibson asked her what insight she had gained from living so close to Russia, and she responded: “They’re our next-door neighbors, and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska”:
I could see Washington DC’s Congress from my kindergarten schoolroom. This ain’t a lie. Y’all think I had any ‘clout’ over those lobbyists from my lego-set? Probably about as much as a tiny-province mayor has over Putin’s nukes.
Read Gonzales’ quote. He actually thought that 20thC electronic devices existed from the 1790’s
So … who got more humiliated by the Republicans – Hillary, or McGovern? Nixon beat McGovern 50-nil states, and that came with clear majorities in both the Electoral College, AND the popular vote. In 1972 Einsteinamus! In 2016, Trumputin won only 29 states, and lost the popular vote by a 4-point spread. Do you judge your football scores the same way? Can I offer you a easy bet on the next horse race?
Lutz didn’t make it to CEO because he spoke the truth “bluntly”…
Lutz didn’t make CEO because in the Judeo-Christian diaspora they don’t like truth. Why else do we have the lyin’ President we have now, eh? Hillary in jail, or even facing a single judge? Got any single group refused entry to USA yet? Got those coal mines creating jobs by the thousand yet? (Oh that’s right, giant coal mine owner Robert Murray told him “no more new jobs”, but that was AFTER the election, oh well) Making America Great again by grabbing North Korea’s meowwwwwwwwwwwwww
Other diasporas are just as committed to believing lies as ours. Sorry I didn’t say that before.
Sore loser alert!
Left-wing nutjob alert!
People like you are exactly why America voted Trump President and the Republican party to ALL branches of power, the most power to since the 1920s, or Civil War if you count the State legislatures and governorships.
America voted for Hillary. Russia voted for Trump. Facts, hard to avoid.
“Trump is quite right. Our infrastructure is in a parlous state. Where’s the money going to come from?”
How about world’s richest man and Trump backer Sheldon Adelson, perhaps he could use all the money from his Chinese casinos so close to that wonderful street circuit in Macao.
Left-wing Larry alert. Someone didn’t get the memo on why they LOST the election and in a big way.
President Donald J. Trump defeated HITLERy Clinton, her buddies in the media, and her $1.5 billion in election money, 3 times what Trump had…
Utter himilation for HITLERy and the Dumbocrats.
Ouch! Spank my naughty bottom. Harder on the left cheek!
Keep putting me in my place Box! Then, when it’s my turn with the riding crop, I’ll call you Max Mosley!
“I would strongly encourage him to stop … the angry tweets. Let’s face it, it’s juvenile. What is he, 71 or 72? You’d think he’d have developed a thicker skin.”
FACT! Lutz just called PC on Trump, then labeled him a Snowflake.
Sean Spicer: “That Trombone is so old it probably can’t even fart anymore” (Ride of the Valkyrie is heard louder and LOUDER)
Sorry, sore loser, but President Trump can do whatever he likes…Your Communist control issues were rejected by the American people. Americans voted Republicans in majority in all branches of power. The left-wing destroy the Democratic party.
Time to Move On…Your hate-filled propaganda failed for Brexit, failed to defeat President Trump, and is going nowhere now…Please get some mental therapy and admit you are wrong someday…It is going to be a rough 8 years for you…
“President Trump can do whatever he likes”
No – King Trump can. Before, we used to have a constitution that said the government, no matter who, still has to follow the law. What I’m wondering is if you have even heard of Elizabeth Cheney. That’s Cheney, not Warren, super-brain.